LOS ANGELES — It was a dominant back-to-back win for John Korir at the 37th Los Angeles Marathon.
Korir, a 25-year-old from Kenya, ran the 26.2-mile course, which began at Dodger Stadium before sunrise, rolled through downtown LA, Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and ended along the Avenue of the Stars in Century City, in 2 hours, 9 minutes, 7.1 seconds, breaking his own record on the course route on Sunday.
“Today my strategy was to maintain and see how the guy (Kenyan Edwin Kimutai) would be,” Korir said. “So I was running to see if I could break away at 20 miles but (Kimutai) didn’t want to break down. But at 22 miles I saw him back down so I decided to move.”
Meet John Korir, the 2021 and now 2022 Los Angeles Marathon men’s race winner in 2:09:07, which is his new personal best. Korir won back-to-back LA marathons, just like his older brother Wesley Korir did in 2009 and 2010. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/InNWbsL24X
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 20, 2022
Although Korir broke away from Kimutai at mile 22, he’s even more excited about running his personal best in the marathon by seven seconds on a windy day in Los Angeles.
“This time I was in good shape, so I (was able) to do my personal best,” Korir explained.
In November 2021, Korir ran 2:12:47 to win the men’s race. His victory Sunday makes him a back-to-back winner like his older brother Wesley, who also won back-to-back LA Marathons in 2009 and 2010.
John Korir wins the 2022 Los Angeles Marathon. He’s the back to back champion. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/g1SxM7397R
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 20, 2022
Meanwhile, Korir said he’s excited for some friendly brotherly banter and Korir family bragging rights.
“It feels good and I think my brother is happy, my coach is happy too,” Korir continued. “When we were coming to this race, I was coming to defend my title and try to chase the ladies, I didn’t catch the ladies but I’m good.”
Kenya’s Kimutai was second in 2:10:42 and Ethopia’s Behanu Bekele Berga finished third in 2:15:10.
Meet Kenya’s Delvine Meringor, the 2022 Los Angeles Marathon women’s race winner in 2:25:03. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/VN8enwZKQa
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 20, 2022
Meanwhile, Delvine Meringor, 29, from Kenya, who is also a Romanian citizen, won the women’s race in 2:25:03, an event record on the route that ends on the Avenue of the Stars since its first running in the fall.
“I am so happy. It’s an amazing day for me,” Meringor said, who claimed a $10,000 marathon challenge bonus for holding off Korir with a 16:05 head start to beat the men’s winner to the finish line.
2022 Los Angeles Marathon women’s race winner Delvine Meringor (2:25) wins a $10,000 marathon challenge for beating men’s race winner John Korir (2:09) to the finish line in Century City after a 16:05 head start at Dodger Stadium. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/DkeTT1eKdb
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 20, 2022
Meringor, who just finished her second marathon ever, is hoping to qualify and represent Romania in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Kenya’s Antonina Kwambai was second in 2:30:12 and Ethopia’s Biruktayit Eshetu Degafa finished third in 2:31:28.
In November 2021, Natasha Cockram won the women’s marathon in 2:33:15, more than eight minutes slower than Meringor’s winning time in 2022.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Zane Robertson, 32, who has lived and trained in Kenya since he was a teenager, got out to an early lead in the men’s marathon but later dropped out.
Liz Camy-Blackwell, a 39-year-old assistant principal in Ventura County, was the fastest local woman, finishing 9th in 2:55:34.
Adolfo Carvalho, a 24-year-old from Pasadena, was the fastest local man, finishing 12th in 2:28:39.
“It was exciting for a debut marathon. It was a fun, really tough course,” Carvalho said. “I was happy in the end to run under 2:30.”
Carvalho’s ultimate goal is to run 2:18 or faster and qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
“Long road ahead to it but let’s see what the next few races have in store,” Carvalho continued.
Meet Adolfo Carvalho, a 24-year-old from Pasadena, who finished 12th in LA Marathon men’s race with 2:28:39 in his first marathon ever. Carvalho’s ultimate goal is to run a 2:18 or better and qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. @ladailynews @lamarathon #LAMarathon pic.twitter.com/FAGsgej0GF
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 20, 2022
More than 15,000 people participated in the 2022 Los Angeles Marathon, including about 2,500 teenagers from Students Run LA.