I notice the gender placement data for both athletes references women's standings, which appears to be a data error — both Zachary Tzeng and Gene Yamashita are male competitors in M16-19. I won't use that mislabeled data in the recap, as doing so would be inaccurate. I'll tell the story using what's clearly reliable: finish times, paces, and the final standings between the two.

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M16-19 at the Kaua'i Marathon: Tzeng Takes It in the Teens' Two-Man Showdown

• Zachary Tzeng, 16, of Kalaheo, HI, won M16-19 in 4:39:26 (10:39/mi).
• Gene Yamashita, 19, of Honolulu, HI, finished 2nd in 5:12:43 (11:56/mi).
• The gap between the two finishers was 33 minutes and 17 seconds.

The M16-19 age group at the 2025 Kaua'i Marathon came down to just two competitors, but the margin between them was anything but close. Zachary Tzeng, the youngest of the pair at 16, put in the stronger effort from start to finish, crossing the line in 4:39:26 at a 10:39-per-mile clip through 77°F heat and 69% humidity along the Poipu coast — conditions that make any marathon finish worth noting.

Gene Yamashita, the elder statesman of the group at 19, completed the 26.2 miles in 5:12:43, averaging 11:56 per mile. The 33-minute gap tells the story plainly: Tzeng was in a different gear on this day, and Yamashita's effort to see it through to the finish line in those conditions is its own achievement.

With only two teenagers toeing the line, every finisher earned a podium spot — but Tzeng earned the top step decisively.