Kenyan elite runners finish in 1st place for men, women
Achievement: Stacy Ndiwa wins for second year and collects $10,000 bonus More than 25,000 run Stadium to Stars course in front of 200,000 spectators
LOS ANGELES >> The 39th Los Angeles Marathon winner earned some extra green on St. Patrick's Day. Kenya's Stacy Ndiwa, 31, defended last year's title and won the women's race in a personal best time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 48 seconds and the $10,000 Marathon Chase bonus.
“I defended my title, so I'm happy,” Ndiwa said. “Thank you, L.A. for inviting me again.”
Ndiwa was excited to return to the streets of L.A. after winning last year's race in 2 hours and 31 minutes. She hinted at returning in 2025 to go for a three-peat.
“I'm so happy about the bonus that I won again this year so I say thank you so much L.A. Marathon,” Ndiwa continued. “Maybe next year (I'll also be back).”
The 26.2-mile, surprisingly hilly course, which began before sunrise at Dodger Stadium and maneuvered through downtown L.A., Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Century City, ended with Ndiwa's arms raised high along the Avenue of the Stars, as she broke the tape after averaging 5:33 per mile.
“Last year the race was not competitive like this year so that's why I improved the time this year because it was so competitive,” explained Ndiwa,
INSIDE:
More than 25,000 runners rose before dawn Sunday then yawned, stretched, flexed, twisted and hydrated, illuminated by the lights of Dodger Stadium, in anticipation of running from Chavez Ravine to Century City.
At 7 a.m. sharp, they were off and running with big cheers. Young. Older. In between. The masses, running shoulder to shoulder, started minutes behind wheelchair racers, who kicked off the event, and the staggered start times of the elite women and men.
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