LA Marathon Ends In Stunning Photo Finish Between American Coach And Kenyan Runner

The LA Marathon was full of highs and lows over the weekend, with viewers celebrating the triumph of American excellence and resiliency, and also mocking the implementation of what amounted to a participation trophy. 

American high school track and cross country coach Nathan Martin finished first, beating out Michael Kamau from Kenya by a mere .01 of a second.

It was the closest finish ever for the famous marathon and drew a huge reaction online, especially as viewers watched how Martin overcame Kamau right at the finish line.

Martin’s time was 2:11:16.50, which was technically the same as Kamau’s, even though he crossed the line first. Kamau can be seen on video collapsing at the finish line, where he was later attended to by medics.

In interviews later, Martin said he wasn’t even sure at first he had won because of how close he and Kamau were to crossing at the same time. 

Last year was the first time in 31 years that an American won the LA Marathon when Matthew Richtman took home top honors. Prior to that, an American hadn’t won the race since 1994. 

The annual running event kicked off with the implementation of a cringeworthy policy. Runners could still receive a medal indicating they had completed the entire marathon if they were having an off day and could only complete half the race.

The 26.2-mile race was expected to have unusually warm temperatures, which is what prompted the change.

“If you’re having a tough day and want to end your race before 26.2, you can choose to take the turn at Mile 18 and head into the finish line early. You do not need to notify anyone of your decision and can opt to take this route at any time,” officials said, as posted on the “Race Day Weather” page.

“There is no shame in making a smart decision for your body,” the announcement went on. The temperature had reached the upper 60s by 9 a.m. on Sunday, per ABC News 7, and was expected to be in the mid-70s within the next hour when the update was made.

Social media users mocked the idea, saying, “people who don’t finish the Marathon can identify as people who do finish the Marathon.”

“Can I submit my application to be a marathon finisher by mail and just have them send me my medal afterwards?” another X commenter asked.

ABC7 reported that more than 27,000 people participated in this year’s Asics LA Marathon.