Yesterday marked the 32nd edition of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon. Various race engagements and achievements continued to cement the race’s place as the fourth largest marathon in the US & tenth largest worldwide!
Nearly twenty thousand participants from all 50 states and 63 countries took to the streets of Los Angeles for the scenic “Stadium to the Sea” course, which features a landmark every mile. More than 50 bands, 500 cheerleaders, 4 entertainment centers and 90 cheer zones set the stage for an exciting course, which also featured more than 40 on-demand Snapchat Geofilters specially-designed for the race.
Conqur Endurance Group, the organizer of the 32nd edition of the annual Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon, is proud to announce Kenyans Elisha Barno and Hellen Jepkurgat as the male and female winners of the race.
Kenyans swept the men’s podium as Elisha Barno broke the tape with a time of 2:11:52. Barno battled countryman Daniel Limo throughout the last four miles of the race, with a final surge in mile 25 to pull ahead. Limo, who placed third in 2016 and first in 2015, clocked 2:12:16 for second place. Willy Koitile finished third in 2:12:47. The reigning champion from 2016, Weldon Kirui, placed fourth in 2:13:21. The first American man to finish was local Angeleno John Pickhaver, who placed tenth.
Hellen Jepkurgat of Kenya comfortably led the women’s pack throughout the majority of the race, ultimately breaking away at mile 13 and finishing in 2:34:23. Jepkurgat finished nearly two minutes ahead of fellow Kenyan Jane Kibii, who clocked 2:36:14. Angela Orjuela of Colombia ran neck and neck with Kibii, finishing six seconds behind Kibii in 2:36:20. America Joanna Reyes took fourth place in 2:37:55.
The winners each took home $23,000 of a total $100,000 purse.
Celebrities took on the “Stadium to the Sea” course, including actor Zach Gilford (known for playing Matt Saracen on “Friday Night Lights”), singer Jordin Sparks, 3x Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer Rebecca Soni and FOX Sports TV host Charissa Thompson.
In the wheelchair race, reigning women’s champion Alicia Ibarra of Mexico bested her 2016 time to finish in 2:11:16. Costa Rican Laurens Molina won the men’s contest in 1:37:26. Both athletes earned $2,500 of a $9,500 purse.
Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon Prevails as Fourth Largest Marathon in the US and Tenth Largest Worldwide
“Congratulations to all finishers of the 2017 Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon,” said Tracey Russell, Chief Executive of race organizer Conqur Endurance Group. “It’s amazing to see the Los Angeles community come together every year to celebrate this vibrant event. Through new and innovative partnerships, including Snapchat and Guinness World Records, the energy this year was felt across all four cities from the Stadium to the Sea and globally on social media.”
Eight athletes set official Guinness World Records while recording the fastest-ever time running a marathon dressed in costumes ranging from a boxer, a tennis player, a swimmer and a three-dimensional bird. To make these historic moments even more memorable, a Guinness World Records adjudicator was on-site to provide record-breakers with on-the-day verification. 
The Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon also played host to the city’s newest professional sports team, the LA Chargers. A 13-person relay team comprised of players, staff and fans including General Manager Tom Telesco, linebacker Denzel Perryman and Charger Girls, passed a football as a baton as each team member ran a leg of the race. Perryman ran the final leg alongside Asher Stewart, a young athlete from Angel City Sports, the Paralympic Sports movement in Southern California.
In addition there were many runners from The Police & Fire Departments, and Military that were able to finish the whole 26 miles in full gear !
Reinforcing Conqur Endurance Group’s commitment to making an economic and social impact at the annual Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon, athletes representing 95 charity partners ran to raise awareness and funds for their causes through the marathon’s Official Charity Program. Additionally, the race organizer once again supported the Students Run LA program, which provides at-risk students with mentors and coaching to train for and run the annual marathon. Nearly 3,500 students and mentors participated in the 2017 race.
Conqur Endurance Group, a subsidiary of McCourt LP, creates world-class experiences that ignite passion in athletes and connect communities through the transformative power of sport. The Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon is among the largest marathons in the country with more than 24,000 participants, thousands of volunteers and hundreds of thousands of spectators. The “Stadium to the Sea” course, starting at Dodger Stadium and finishing near the Santa Monica Pier, is one of the most scenic in the world, taking runners on a tour of Los Angeles past every major landmark. In addition to the marquee event, Conqur Endurance Group produces the Santa Monica Classic 5K/10K, the LA BIG 5K and recently added the Pasadena Half Marathon & 5K at the Rose Bowl. For more information, please visit www.goconqur.com.
