The Los Angeles Marathon presented by Asics, now in year five of its partnership, held its pre-race press conference at chilly Dodger Stadium this morning. Among the announcements was the signing of Asics to a four-year contract as title sponsor beginning in 2026.

“Contributing to the local community is meaningful to us,” said Koichiro Kodama, Asics USA CEO. “Our headquarters is here in Orange County.”

93 legacy runners will make their 40th journey over the LA course on Sunday. 92 will finish at the most, as legacy runner Samuel Gardner, Jr. died on January 14. His son, Samuel III, will wear his dad’s bib and run in his place.

“My dad was always my hero. He always led by example. I’m here to uphold dad’s love of the marathon. I’m honored to continue his legacy.”

Five of the top runners in the Sundays professional field were introduced as well. 22-year-old Gizealew Ayana of Ethiopia, the men’s favorite, comes in with a 2:07:15 personal best from his debut win in Paris in 2023. As an 18-year-old, he ran 59:38 for a half marathon in Poland. And his Moyo Sports stablemate, Jemal Yimer, won the LA Marathon in 2022. So Ayana has many things going for him on Sunday morning. 

Joining him was 30-year-old Athanas Kioko (gray hoodie) of Kenya, who will be making his marathon debut. He’s a 2021 graduate of Campbell University in Nashville where he was a six-time All American and 13-time Big South conference champion. 

But I first saw him at the 2022 TD Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Joan Samuelson‘s summer race. He took second place in that race when nobody knew who he was. He only began running as a hobby in 2017. Last year he finished second at the Falmouth Road race on Cape Cod in August. Then second again at the Philadelphia Half in 61:27 in September. This January, he ran 61:18 at the Houston Half Marathon. On paper, he seems to be a better long distance runner than short track racer. I guess we’ll find out a lot on Sunday.

The third elite man at the press conference was American Matt Richtman from Bozeman, Montana out of Elburn, Illinois, who debuted at the Twin Cities Marathon last October, finishing fourth in 2:10:47. He finished two seconds behind Kioko in the Houston Half this January. So theirs will be an interesting battle. I wrote more about Matt in yesterday‘s blog column.

The women setting the pace will include two-time LA runner-up Antonina Kwambai of Kenya. She finished second in LA in both 2021 and 2022. So she has some unfinished business to attend here in SoCal. Last year she ran a near PB of 2:23:47 taking fourth place in Seville, Spain. Her PB of 2:23:20 was set in winning Toronto in 2022. 

Her main competition will come from Ethiopia’s Tejinish Gebisa, 30, who finished ninth in Seville 2024 in 2:24:37, several places behind Kwambai.

She was a former world junior championships silver medalist in the steeplechase back in 2012. But her results as a senior have yet to fulfill the promise that she showed back then. 

Top American in the field is Savannah Berry of Orem, Utah out of Bakersfield, CA. She was 16th at the New York City Marathon last fall in 2:31:39. Her PB, 2:29:13, came when she finished second at the McKirdy Micro Marathon in Valley Cottage, New York in 2023. She was third last year in New Haven at the US 20K Road Championship, and 12th in the Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando.

The men will have to overcome a 16 minute, five second head-start awarded the women in the LA Marathon Chase, a unique gender competition where the first person across the line is awarded an extra cash bonus. 

You can watch live on KTLA.com. I will be joined by Olympians Deena Kastor and Juli Benson and host David Pingalore of KTLA. We go on air at 6 AM Pacific time. The women take off at 6:43:55. The men give chase at 7 AM.

Oh, they awarded me the LA Marathon gold star from my 40 years of broadcasting here at the LA Marathon. It’s been an honor and a privilege.

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