Priscah Cherono, a 45-year-old mother of three from Kenya, crossed the finish line first overall to win Sunday’s Marathon Chase at the 41st Los Angeles Marathon, shortly before a dramatic come-from behind finish in the men’s field.
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.
The elite women started 15:45 ahead of the elite men, with the overall first finisher receiving a $10,000 bonus. Cherono’s unofficial time was 2:25:18.31.
Martin’s time was 2:11:18.
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 marathon featured a capacity field of more than 27,000 facing higher-than-usual temperatures, prompting organizers to announce runners need to only complete 18 miles of the 26-mile, 385-yard-course to receive a finisher’s medal.
The “Race Day Weather” portion marathon’s website informed runners, “If you’re having a tough day and want to end your race before 26.2, you can choose to take the turn at Mile 18 and head into the finish line early. You do not need to notify anyone of your decision and can opt to take this route at any time. This option is available for this year only.
“How to find it: Just past Mile 18 on Santa Monica Boulevard, look for the Charity Half Finish signage on the left side of the road. Signs, cones, and barricades will be in place to help direct you to this exit and toward the finish line.
“You will still receive your finisher medal and any challenge medal you’ve earned, and your official race results will be updated at a later date to reflect your time and mileage. There is no shame in making a smart decision for your body.”
The temperature was in the upper 50s at 7 a.m. when the bulk of field started at Dodger Stadium, Rose Schoenfeld, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told City News Service.
When the first runner crossed the finish line in Century City shortly after 9 a.m., the temperature had reached the upper 60s, and was expected to be in the mid-70s throughout the course by 10 a.m., Schoenfeld said.
The race began at 6:30 a.m. with the professional wheelchair racers and push rim para-athletes. The latter group uses specially designed, high-performance aluminum or carbon fiber rings attached to the wheels of a racing wheelchair to propel themselves.
The handcycle and hand crank racers started at 6:32 a.m., with all other para-athletes starting at 6:33 a.m. The professional women and elite age group women started at 6:44 a.m. The elite men and rest of the field started at 7 a.m.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was the starter.
From Dodger Stadium, runners headed through Chinatown, downtown Los Angeles, Echo Park, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood and Brentwood then back through Westwood to Century City, with the finish line for the “Stadium to the Stars” course on Santa Monica Boulevard, just past Century Park East.
The elite field included Matt Richtman, who last year became the first American man to win the Los Angeles Marathon since 1994 when he ran a course record-2:07:56. The marathon has been run on the course since 2021.
Athanas Kioko, second in 2025 in 2:10:55, was also in the field, as was fellow Kenyan Dominic Ngeno, the 2024 champion.
An African woman has now won 14 of the last 17 Los Angeles Marathons. Tejinesh Gebisa Tulu of Ethiopia won last year’s women’s title. The last American woman to win was in 1994. Savannah Berry of Bakersfield finished third last year.
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.
The more than 125 charities benefiting from the race include the Live Like Braun Foundation, which describes itself as celebrating “the enduring spirit and legacy of Braun Levi,” an 18-year-old tennis star who was struck and killed by a vehicle in Manhattan Beach driven by a suspected drunken driver May 4, less than two months after he ran the Los Angeles Marathon.
The foundation seeks to raise awareness about impaired driving risks and makes grants for scholarships to graduating high school students who embody Levi’s drive, passion and enthusiasm and repairing and building public tennis centers.
A 65-member “Run Like Braun” team entered the marathon, seeking to raise money and awareness for the foundation.
“To run like Braun means to push your body to its limits, just as Braun did,” according to the foundation. “It’s not about running for the result, but running for a purpose.”
Levi completed the 2025 marathon in 4:39:03, after what the foundation called “little to no training.”
Jenia Resha Belt pleaded not guilty on Jan. 13 to murder, gross vehicular murder while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license in connection with Levi’s death.
The race was being run a week earlier than originally planned to avoid a conflict with next Sunday’s Oscars.