LA Marathon leader took wrong turn near finish line — before he was dramatically overtaken: video

March 9, 2026

The man who came in second by just milliseconds in a dramatic finish to the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday took a wrong turn before being overtaken, according to devastating video.

Michael Kimani Kamau, who finished second, is edged out by winner Nathan Martin after appearing to drift away from the path just two minutes before the finish line, according to video posted on social media.

Kamau, dressed in a pink and orange shirt, was in the final stretch when he tried to dodge an excited spectator in his path, prompting him to veer right and run outside of a barrier splitting the road into two lanes.

Moments later, he appeared to realize his mistake and turned back to get on the correct route.

“That’s the wrong track — ah, she messed him up,” one bystander said in the video.

The woman who appears to have misled him was carrying a flag and cheering him on, but did not seem to be actively participating in the race.

Martin, who won the race in a dramatic finish by just seconds, caught up with Kamau, who had been in the lead.

More than 26,000 runners participated in the LA Marathon on Sunday.

Due to extreme heat, organizers said runners who chose to stop at the 18-mile mark would still receive their medal, even though the full marathon distance is 26.2 miles. NY Post