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Michigan coach wins LA Marathon in closest finish ever
Nathan Martin, a high school cross-country coach, edged out Kenyan runner Michael Kamau by just 0.01 seconds.
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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Nathan Martin, a substitute teacher and high school cross-country coach from Jackson, Michigan, won the 41st Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday in the closest finish ever. Martin beat Kenyan runner Michael Kamau by just 0.01 seconds after the two battled step-for-step during the final stretch. Kamau collapsed shortly after crossing the finish line.
Why it matters
Martin's dramatic victory marks the second consecutive year an American has won the men's division of the LA Marathon, ending a three-decade drought for American runners in the event. As a high school coach, Martin's win is an inspiring story that highlights the talent and dedication of American distance runners.
The details
Martin, a three-time NAIA champion at Spring Arbor University, made a decisive move five miles from the finish to catch the leader, Kamau. In the final mile and a half, Martin was able to close the gap and ultimately edge out Kamau by just a step at the tape. Kamau had to be taken from the course on a stretcher after collapsing shortly after finishing.
- The 41st Los Angeles Marathon took place on Sunday, March 9, 2026.
- Martin made his decisive move to catch the leader five miles from the finish.
- With 800 meters to go, Martin knew he was catching Kamau and was thinking he could win.
The players
Nathan Martin
A substitute teacher and high school cross-country coach from Jackson, Michigan, who won the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon in the closest finish ever, edging out Kenyan runner Michael Kamau by 0.01 seconds.
Michael Kamau
A Kenyan runner who finished second in the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon, collapsing shortly after crossing the finish line behind Nathan Martin.
What they’re saying
“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.”
— Nathan Martin, Marathon winner
“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.'”
— Nathan Martin, Marathon winner
What’s next
Martin's historic win will likely earn him a spot on the U.S. Olympic marathon team for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
The takeaway
Nathan Martin's dramatic victory in the closest finish ever at the LA Marathon is an inspiring story of an American distance runner, and a high school coach, overcoming the odds to win one of the most prestigious marathons in the country.
