Los Angeles 2028 team members held up messages of support to runners competing in the Los Angeles Marathon ©LA28

More than 20,000 runners participated in the Los Angeles Marathon as the city continues to build towards the staging of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in six years’ time.

Olympians Izzy Cerullo and Kamilla Vaksman joined Los Angeles 2028 team members to cheer on those tackling the 26.2-mile course in the American city.

Cerullo, who was born in the United States to Brazilian parents, played for Brazil’s rugby sevens team at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Former fencer Vaksman claimed team foil silver at London 2012 competing for Russia and now coaches fencing in San Francisco.

The duo are working as athlete fellows for Los Angeles 2028 and showed their support for runners at the Los Angeles Marathon on March 20.

"LA28 was proud to cheer on some of LA’s most inspiring athletes during the 37th annual LA Marathon," a statement from Los Angeles 2028 read.

"Over 20,000 marathoners made the trek from Dodger Stadium to Avenue of the Stars and were met by LA28 supporters along the route of LA landmarks.

"Olympians and LA28 Athlete Fellows, Izzy Cerullo and Kamilla Vaksman, alongside several other LA28 team members celebrated the thousands of runners, adaptive marathoners and fellow Angelenos and community organizations as they offered high fives and encouragement to participating athletes.


"We’re still buzzing from all the excitement and can’t wait for next year! 

"Congratulations to all participants who took part in this historic LA milestone.

"Special shoutout to Students Run LA.

"We joined their group to support and cheer on nearly 2,500 students, teachers and coaches from the LA community.

"What an inspiration."

This year’s Los Angeles Marathon returned to its usual March slot after the 2021 edition was postponed to November due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kenyan pair John Korir and Delvine Meringor won the respective men’s and women’s titles.

Korir made it back-to-back marathon victories in Los Angeles as he crossed the finish line in 2 hours 9min 8sec.

Meringor came out on top in the women’s race, triumphing in 2:25:04.