Priscah Cherono, a 45-year-old mother of three from Kenya, crossed the finish line first among the elite women in the LA Marathon today and snared the coveted Marathon Chase title, too — moments before a dramatic “photo finish” among the men.
Cherono led pretty much wire to wire, recording an unofficial time of 2:25:18.31, a second shy of her personal best. Cherono nagged the Marathon Chase and a $10,000 bonus. The elite women started 15:45 ahead of the elite men, with the overall first finisher receiving the extra payday.
The men’s race, however, was no runaway. American Nathan Martin, 36, chased down a fading Michael Kamau of Kenya to win the men’s race by -00:01, in what marathon officials called the closest finish the event has ever seen. Martin’s time was 2:11:16.50, technically the same as Kamau’s. Enyew Nigat of Ethiopia was third with a time of 2:14:22.22.
After Martin rallied in the final steps to eclipse his foe’s huge lead, Kamau tumbled to the ground at the finish; he was taken from the course on a stretcher but later walked away from the area.
Martin is the second American man to win the race, after last year’s winner, Matthew Richtman.
Cherono represented Kenya in the 5000 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She had stepped away from the sport for as while around the time of the coronavirus pandemic before mounting an unlikely comeback, winning the 2025 Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona.
“I’m so happy, I won the race. That’s so good for me, the course was so good,” Cherono told NBC4 moments after finishing Sunday’s race. “It is no matter,” she said of her age. “I’m only 45, but I am feeling I am OK.”
The elite chase was part of the marathon from 2004 to 2014, with women winning seven times and men four. It was discontinued in 2015 when the race served as the USA Marathon Championships. It was revived in 2022 with women winning each of the first three times since its revival, with Richtman winning last year.
American Kellyn Taylor, 39, took second place for the women in a time of 2:27:36:00, while Antonina Kwambai of Kenya was third in 2:28:49.09.
