**American Wins Los Angeles Marathon After 31 Years**
For the first time in over three decades, an American has claimed victory in the Los Angeles Marathon. Matt Richtman, hailing from Illinois, triumphed in a race that featured the second-largest participant field in its history. He completed the marathon in a time of 2:07:56, proudly waving an American flag as he crossed the finish line. In the women’s division, Ethiopia’s Tejinesh Gebisa Tulu secured first place with a time of 2:30:16.
### Matt Richtman’s Surprising Victory
Richtman expressed his surprise at winning, stating, “It’s definitely a surprise. You know, I came in feeling really good; it’s really hard to judge where you stack up against competition, but it was a really good group out there today, and I was really happy to run with those guys and then ultimately win it.”
– **Second Place:** Athanas Kioko from Kenya finished with a time of 2:10:55.
– **Third Place:** Another Kenyan, Mose Kiptoo, completed the race in 2:13:13.
### Race Strategy and Course Challenges
Richtman, a former Montana State University Bobcat, admitted he didn’t have a specific strategy for the race. “The first half I just wanted to stay in that group, didn’t really want to push the pace or lead or anything like that, just kind of stay, feel it out, ‘cause it’s a challenging course.” He noted that he ran with a sense of caution, saying, “It’s tough when you can’t see what’s going on behind you.”
### Community Support
Richtman expressed gratitude for the support he received from the Los Angeles crowd, stating, “It’s such a great day, you know, the 40th anniversary (of the race), there’s so many legacy runners out here, and the crowd out here was amazing. There were people throughout the whole course and it really helps. It’s amazing how much a crowd can change the course of what you’re doing.”
**Conclusion:** With Matt Richtman’s victory marking a significant moment in marathon history, how will this inspire future American runners in international competitions?
### FAQs:
**Q: Who won the Los Angeles Marathon in 2023?**
A: Matt Richtman won the Los Angeles Marathon in 2023, marking the first American victory in 31 years.
**Alt Text:** Matt Richtman celebrating his victory at the Los Angeles Marathon.
**URL Slug:** american-wins-los-angeles-marathon-2023
