Move over, history books! For the first time in 31 years, an American man has claimed victory at the Los Angeles Marathon. Matt Richtman, hailing from Illinois, soared to the top in the second-largest field the race has ever seen, clocking in at 2:07:56. With an American flag in hand, Richtman crossed the finish line, making quite the patriotic statement.

Ethiopia’s Tejinesh Gebisa Tulu took home the win in the women’s division, finishing at 2:30:16—a reminder that the marathon remains as global as ever.

Richtman’s win, which he described as a "definite surprise," was a testament to his strategy—or lack thereof. "I came in feeling really good," he said. "It’s hard to gauge where you stand against the competition, but it was a really good group out there today. I was happy to run with those guys and ultimately win." A humble champion, indeed.

Trailing behind him were Kenya’s Athanas Kioko at 2:10:55 and Mose Kiptoo at 2:13:13. Looks like it wasn’t just a race; it was a nail-biter.

During his college days at Montana State University, Richtman ran for the Bobcats, but he admitted he didn’t have much of a game plan going into this race. "The first half I just wanted to stay in the group, feel it out, because it’s a challenging course," he said. "The whole race I was running with a little bit of fear. It’s tough when you can’t see what’s going on behind you." Fear, it seems, proved to be quite the motivator.

Richtman also gave a heartfelt shoutout to the Los Angeles crowd, which cheered him on from start to finish. "It’s such a great day," he reflected. "The 40th anniversary of the race, so many legacy runners, and the crowd was amazing. It's incredible how much a supportive crowd can change the course of what you’re doing." Well, LA, give yourselves a pat on the back for powering this historic win.

With this victory, Richtman not only breaks a decades-long drought for American male marathoners but also proves that sometimes, running with grit (and maybe a sprinkle of fear) is the best strategy of all.

Marathon News

Matt Richtman Becomes First American Man to Win LA Marathon in 31 Years