SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Kennedy Bett wins the NAIA Marathon Classic in California on Sunday as five Phoenix complete the marathon. 

The NAIA Marathon Classic was held as a stand-alone event this year, as it was formerly a part of the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships but was removed as an event after 2022. It is currently classified as an emerging sport in the NAIA and not an official championship. A group of coaches spearheaded the effort to keep the marathon alive as an opportunity for NAIA student-athletes and found a partner in the California International Marathon (CIM). The CIM offered one hundred starting spots in their established race. 

The marathon began Sunday morning promptly at 7:00 a.m. near the Folsom Dam in Folsom. The scenic 26-mile, 385-yard course runs from Folsom Dam to the State Capitol in Sacramento.

Qualifications for the Classic took place over a 12-week period. Student-athletes who wanted to be considered for entry had to run an average of 40 miles per week during that 12-week training period. Secondly, during those 12 weeks of training, the student-athlete had to complete a minimum of two 2-hour runs to ensure that they were able to complete the 26.2-mile race. A total of 95 spots this year were allotted to the NAIA by the CIM, and they will be filled by 49 men and 46 women.

Bett was the first to cross the finish line to win the NAIA Marathon posting a top time of 2:21:33. He set the pace for the pack leading at every split throughout the race. He posted an average of 5:24 per mile throughout the marathon. Bett slightly beat out Jacob Kocis from Midway, beating him by just over one second. 

Elliott Hughes took 27th place for the Phoenix posting a time of 2:40:48 while Edwin Kigen and Ethan Garcia finished in 36th and 37th posting times of 2:46:48 and 2:49:40.

Daniela Rivera Rivas was the lone female to take on the marathon this season. She finished in 15th place with a time of 3:16:29. 

Bett's win marks the second-year in a row a Phoenix has won the NAIA Marathon. Last season, Mercy Kibiwott won the women's marathon with a time of 2:54.05.