On March 16, 2025, Matt Richtman made history by becoming the first American man to win the Los Angeles Marathon in 31 years. The Elburn, Illinois native crossed the finish line with a personal-best time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 56 seconds, marking a significant milestone in his running career and breaking a long-standing dominance of international athletes in the event.
Race Highlights & Top Finishers
The 40th edition of the Los Angeles Marathon began at Dodger Stadium, winding through downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Brentwood, before concluding in Century City. Richtman took control in the second half of the race and maintained his lead until the finish line.
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1st Place: Matt Richtman (USA) – 2:07:56
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2nd Place: Athanas Kioko (Kenya) – 2:10:55
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3rd Place: Moses Kurgat (Kenya) – 2:13:13
Richtman’s Journey to Victory
Richtman, a former Montana State University cross-country standout, has emerged as one of the most promising long-distance runners in the United States. Before his LA Marathon win, he finished fourth at the Twin Cities Marathon last fall, running 2:10:47 in his marathon debut.
Reflecting on his strategy, Richtman stated:
“I wanted to stay with the leading pack for as long as possible and see how I felt at the halfway mark. Once I took the lead, I realized no one was matching my pace, so I just kept pushing.”
His performance in Los Angeles signals his potential as a major contender in future international marathons.
Montana’s Matt Richtman won the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS in 2:07:56. He’s the first American to win the race since 1994 when Paul Pilkington (who was a pacemaker that day) won it in 2:12:13. @letsrundotcom @runnersworld @CitiusMag @ASICSamerica pic.twitter.com/HjPgIgEV7O
— Los Angeles Marathon (@lamarathon) March 16, 2025
Historical Significance
Richtman’s victory ends a three-decade-long drought for American male runners at the LA Marathon. The last U.S. champion was Paul Pilkington in 1994, who won with a time of 2:12:13. Since then, the race had been dominated by Kenyan and Ethiopian runners.
Women’s Division Results
The women’s race saw a competitive finish, with Tejinesh Tulu of Ethiopia taking first place in 2:30:16.
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1st Place: Tejinesh Tulu (Ethiopia) – 2:30:16
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2nd Place: Antonina Kwambai (Kenya) – 2:30:19
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3rd Place: Savannah Berry (USA) – 2:30:31
Berry, from Orem, Utah, had previously finished 12th at the U.S. Olympic Trials and delivered an impressive performance against an elite field.
What’s Next for Richtman?
With this historic win, Richtman is now one of the top American marathoners to watch. His rapid improvement in marathon running suggests that he could be a strong contender for future U.S. Olympic teams and international races.
The Los Angeles Marathon win is just the beginning of what looks to be a promising career for Matt Richtman, and fans eagerly await his next race.