Nathan Martin Makes History As 1st African American To Win LA Marathon

Close but no cigar for Kenya’s Michael Kimani Kamau in this weekend’s 2026 L.A. Marathon.

Instead, the winner of the 26.2-mile race was American Nathan Martin in what’s being considered the closest finish of all time.

In the race broadcast, you can see an exasperated Kamau chugging along with the end in sight, when he peers behind him and sees Martin closing the gap.

Martin uses what little energy he has left to speed up and pass Kamau to hit the tape right before him, as Kamau collapsed and tried to reach for it first.

Kamau immediately received medical attention and was later carted off on a stretcher, while Martin sauntered around as an American flag was draped over his shoulders.

Marathon officials confirm Martin won by just 0.01 seconds, with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 16.50 seconds.

After the race, Martin said that, despite the cameras showing his move at the end, the idea came about a few miles back.

“I made an actual move five miles out … when I saw no one else was picking up the pace. I decided I needed to push,” Martin told the Los Angeles Times. “At a mile and a half to go, I could see the leader, and with 800 meters to go, I was thinking, ‘I’m catching him.’”

As for ultimately having the confidence to speed up, he says, “In any race, I just want to give 100%. I saw an opportunity to race at the end and give one last push. All I wanted to do is push myself.”

Martin solidified his title as the fastest U.S.-born African American, an honor he earned in 2023 for winning the Grandma’s Marathon in 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 45 seconds.

The win proves America is back on top, following Illinois native Matt Richtman’s 2025 win.

But that was merely a blip, considering the marathon has been dominated by African runners, with Kenya and Ethiopia winning every other race in the past 20 years.

Still, the Americans are basking in the victory and the dramatic photo finish. See the reaction below.