# Nathan Martin Wins Closest Los Angeles Marathon Finish on Record

*Event date: March 8, 2026*

By IO Digest Desk

Nathan Martin won the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon in the closest finish in the race’s history on March 8, 2026, edging Michael Kimani Kamau of Kenya by 0.01 seconds after a late surge over the final stretch. The American crossed in 2:11:16.50, with victory decided in what the *Los Angeles Times* described as a single stride at the end of the 26.2-mile course.

The finish turned the 41st running of the race into one of the most dramatic moments in the event’s history. Martin, 36, spent much of the late stages chasing Kamau before making up the remaining ground near the line. He told the *Times* that he saw an opportunity to race at the end and give one last push, explaining that he believed he was catching the leader with roughly 800 meters remaining.

Martin’s victory made him the second consecutive American men’s champion in Los Angeles, following Matthew Richtman’s win in 2025. That back-to-back result stands out in a marathon known for deep international fields and marks another notable domestic performance in a major US city race. The *Times* said Martin’s 2023 personal best of 2:10:45 at Grandma’s Marathon had established him as a capable contender, but the way he won in Los Angeles will likely be remembered more than any prior résumé line.

Kamau’s finish added a sobering note to the spectacle. After crossing just behind Martin, he collapsed and was attended to by medical personnel before being carried off on a stretcher, according to the *Times*. The supplied evidence does not describe his condition beyond that immediate response, but the image reinforced the physical toll of a race decided at the absolute limit.

The men’s podium was completed by Ethiopia’s Enyew Nigat in 2:14:23, while Josh Izewski finished fourth and 2024 champion Dominic Ngeno was fifth. Those results placed Martin’s dramatic win in the context of a competitive elite field rather than an isolated two-runner duel.

The race itself drew 27,000 runners and followed the “Stadium to the Stars” route from Dodger Stadium to Century City. This year’s edition was moved one week earlier than usual to avoid a conflict with the Oscars, which were set for March 15 along part of the race route. That scheduling shift altered the calendar but did not diminish turnout or atmosphere.

The women’s race produced a clear winner rather than a photo finish. Kenya’s Priscah Cherono took control early and won in 2:25:18.31. Because the marathon’s “Marathon Chase” format gave women a 15-minute, 45-second head start, Cherono also earned a $10,000 bonus as the first runner, male or female, to cross the finish line on International Women’s Day.

Yet the day will be defined above all by Martin’s final surge. Marathons usually spread decisive moments over miles, not hundredths of a second. On March 8 in Los Angeles, the difference between first and second came down to the smallest visible margin possible, turning a city race into a finish-line classic.