OCEAN AVENUE — Aleksandra Duliba of Belarus won the 28th ASICS LosAngeles Marathon on Sunday in her marathon debut, and Kenyan Erick Mose won the men's race with a personal best.
Duliba led 21 of 26 miles, including the final 14, and finished in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 8 seconds, breaking the Belarusian national record by 15 seconds. In addition to the $25,000 first prize, Duliba won a $50,000 bonus as the first elite runner to cross the finish line, 2:09 ahead of Mose, who won in 2:09:44. The women started 18:35 ahead of the men.
Duliba and Ethiopian Zemzem Ahmed broke away from the pack in mile 11. Ahmed seemed content to draft off Kuliba for much of the next eight miles, but Duliba left her in mile 19. Ahmed finished second in 2:30:32.
Mose and Julius Keter raced as part of a pack of 10 runners for the first 15 miles. By mile 22, the pack had thinned to six, and before the mile was up, the two broke away. Mose left Keter in mile 25. Keter finished in 2:10:31, followed by Nicholas Chelimo of Kenya in 2:10:43.
Deena Kastor, the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist who came into the race with the fastest marathon time among the elite women, fell back in mile 5 and never threatened. She finished third in 2:32:39.
