Imagine running an entire marathon thinking you’ve got the race locked up. You’re focused, confident, already picturing yourself breaking the tape at the finish line… only to suddenly hear footsteps closing in and feel another runner blow past you at the very last second.
That heart-dropping moment became reality at this weekend’s Los Angeles Marathon, delivering one of the most dramatic finishes the race has ever seen. Nathan Martin pulled off a jaw-dropping comeback to win the 2026 race, and officials say it ended up being the closest finish in the marathon’s history.
For most of the race, it looked like the day belonged to Kenya’s Michael Kamau. Kamau held the lead for much of the grueling 26.2-mile course that began at Dodger Stadium and wound its way through several iconic neighborhoods across Los Angeles. But Martin wasn’t finished yet.
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The 36-year-old runner from Michigan dug deep during the final stretch, unleashing a powerful finishing kick that changed everything. After trailing for much of the race, Martin closed the gap late and caught Kamau just before the finish line.
As Kamau stretched his arms out in a desperate effort to hold him off, Martin surged past in the final steps, crossing the line first with a winning time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 18 seconds. Moments later, Kamau collapsed face-down near the finish line and was treated by medical staff in the finish area.
Martin’s Mindset in the Final Mile
After the race, Martin explained how the possibility of catching the leader only started to feel real in the closing stretch.
“A mile to go, I started seeing the pace car and the lead guy, and said, ‘Well maybe, we’ll see what happens,’” Martin said. “And then 800 to go, I’m like, ‘All right, I have to go for it, I have to at least try,’ and things kind of worked out,” ABCLA quotes him saying.
NEW: American Nathan Martin wins the closest Los Angeles Marathon in race history, beating Kenya’s Michael Kimani Kamau by 0.01 seconds with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 16.50 seconds
“I made an actual move five miles out… When I saw no one else was picking up the pace. I… pic.twitter.com/WoWCFM99ci
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) March 9, 2026
Podium Finishers
Kenya’s Enyew Nigat finished third on Sunday with a time of 2:14:23, rounding out the podium.
Martin’s win also places him in rare company. He’s now just the second American man to win the Los Angeles Marathon, joining 2025 champion Matthew Richtman.
