Los angeles: The 2026 Los Angeles Marathon witnessed a thrilling and unexpected finale. With less than a mile to go, Kenyan runner Michael Kamau appeared to have a clear lead over his American rival, Nathan Martin. However, as the finish line drew near, Martin made a stunning comeback, crossing the line just 0.01 seconds ahead of Kamau to claim first place in the closest finish in marathon history.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Nathan Martin, 36, from Jackson, Michigan, finished the race in 2:11:17, 31 seconds faster than his personal best set in 2023, making him the fastest African-American marathon runner of all time. This victory also marks the second consecutive year that an American runner has won the Los Angeles Marathon, following Matthew Rechtman's win in 2025.

The final moments of the race saw a minor incident when a woman briefly obstructed Kamau's path, followed by a police convoy that caused him to lose valuable seconds. Kamau eventually collapsed at the finish line and had to be stretchered off by paramedics, while Martin remained fully focused on achieving his goal without any further setbacks.

The Los Angeles Marathon, one of the largest marathons in the United States since its inception in 1986, saw 27,000 runners participate this year. They traversed the city streets, passing iconic landmarks such as Dodger Stadium, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, before crossing the finish line on Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City. With temperatures expected to reach 27 degrees Celsius, exceptional safety measures were implemented, including allowing runners to finish at the 18-mile mark of the 26.2-mile race and receive a medal.