45-year-old Priscah Cherono led from start to finish to claim the title at the 41st annual ASICS Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 8.
Cherono, a mother of three and 2008 Olympian, crossed the finish line with an official time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 20 seconds.
The performance was a master-class in front-running, as she seized the lead just after the start and was never seriously challenged over the 26.2-mile course .
"I’m so happy, I won the race. That’s so good for me, the course was so good," she told reporters shortly after her victory.
When asked about her age, she dismissed it as a factor in her dominant performance.
"I’m only 45, but I am feeling I am OK," she added.
Cherono, who represented Kenya in the 5000 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, now resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Her win was made even sweeter by claiming the $10,000 bonus as part of The Marathon Chase, a special competition where the elite women are given a head start on the men, with the first professional finisher overall taking the prize.
Cherono first made her mark in athletics through cross-country running before establishing herself on the track in long-distance events, particularly the 5000 metres.
Her international career began in the late 1990s when she represented Kenya at the 1997 World Cross Country Championships, where she won a silver medal in the junior race.
Between 1997 and 2011, Cherono competed numerous times at the World Cross Country Championships and contributed to several Kenyan team medals during that period.
One of the highlights of her career came at the 2007 World Athletics Championships in Osaka, where she won the bronze medal in the women’s 5000 metres.
In addition to global championships, Cherono won a silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 2004 African Championships.
Later in her career, Cherono began competing in half marathons and marathons and achieved notable results in international road races.
Elsewhere, this comes months after legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge ran his final marathon.
He crossed the finish line of the 2025 New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 2, marking his final appearance on the major marathon circuit.
With this race, he achieved the rare distinction of becoming a seven-star elite marathoner, having competed in all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Speaking in an interview head of the race, Kipchoge reflected on what the New York event meant to him.
"November, and it’s New York. It’s a place that has been on my mind for a long time. It’s time for me to go there and get a Seven Star before embarking on my new journey of running for other things; running for a purpose," he said.
Kipchoge revealed that his next pursuits will include extreme running challenges, meant to inspire other athletes.
"I will run in Antarctica! I will run even 50 kilometres in Saudi Arabia. I want to do that extreme thing that can make somebody work hard and also get partners to rally for a cause," he added.
