Matt Richtman of Illinois made history on Sunday by becoming the first American to win the Los Angeles Marathon in 31 years, clocking in at an impressive 2:07:56.
The 40th edition of the marathon, which featured over 26,000 participants, saw Richtman edge out a competitive field, including Kenyan runner Athanas Kioko, who finished second at 2:10:55, and Moses Kiptoo, who placed third at 2:13:13.
On the women’s side, Tejinesh Gebisa Tulu of Ethiopia claimed victory with a time of 2:30:16, narrowly beating Kenya’s Antonina Kwambai (2:30:19). Savannah Berry of Bakersfield finished third (2:30:31), marking a strong showing for the U.S.
Richtman, competing in just his second marathon, said he was surprised by his victory but credited the electric atmosphere and crowd support in Los Angeles for helping push him to the finish line.
Paul Pilkington was the last American to win the LA Marathon in 1994, finishing in 2:12:13.
The event also highlighted charitable efforts, including fundraising for wildfire relief through the “Together LA” initiative.