In a remarkable feat at the 40th Los Angeles Marathon held on Sunday, Matt Richtman emerged victorious, becoming the first American male to clinch the title in over three decades. Richtman completed the challenging course, which started at Dodger Stadium and wove its way through various iconic neighborhoods such as downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Brentwood, ultimately concluding in Century City. His finishing time was an impressive personal best of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 56 seconds.
Following Richtman, Athanas Kioko from Kenya secured the second position with a time of 2:10.55. His fellow countryman, Moses Kurgat, placed third, finishing the marathon in 2:13.13. This victory at the Los Angeles Marathon marks only the second marathon for Richtman, who previously competed at the Twin Cities Marathon last fall, recording a time of 2:10.47 and earning fourth place.
Reflecting on his strategy for the marathon, Richtman shared that he did not have a detailed plan. Understanding the unpredictable nature of the marathon, he aimed to stay with the leading pack until reaching the halfway point. “I just told myself to stay in that pack until about the halfway mark and then if I felt good I could make a move. Ended up going a little bit to the lead and no one really came with me,” said Richtman.
Richtman is from Elburn, Illinois, and showcased his athletic prowess as a member of the Montana State cross-country team, achieving All-America honors during his junior year in 2022-23. The last American man to win the Los Angeles Marathon before Richtman was Paul Pilkington, who accomplished the feat in 1994 with a time of 2:12.13.
In the women’s marathon, Ethiopia’s Tejinesh Tulu claimed the top spot, finishing the race in 2:30.16. Antonina Kwambai of Kenya came in a close second, completing the course in 2:30.19. Meanwhile, Savannah Berry from Orem, Utah, earned third place with a time of 2:30.31, having previously finished 12th at last year’s U.S. Olympic trials.
