The sporting world often witnesses several historic firsts. Likewise, the ongoing Boston Marathon, too, might etch its name in the history books. Dreaming of conquering the track and field world together, two brothers from Kenya stepped foot onto the track. And while one of them, Wesley Korir, has already established his dominance, John Korir, too, has now made a full circle. Competing at the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 21, 2025, John secured first place to clinch the gold. 

However, this was much more than just an ordinary first-place victory for John Korir. 13 years ago, his brother, Weasley, won the same accolade in Boston. And while John will be partying hard long into the night, the Korir brothers will remain forever alive in the minds of the track fans. For this is the first time that the brother of a former winner of the Boston marathon has matched the feat.

But this was not the first time that the brothers had matched each other on the track. Coming to the marathon, it was not an easy task for Korir to secure his victory. Standing in his way were the daunting figures of Sisay Lemma and Evans Chebet. Well, for the uninitiated, Lemma was the defending champion and was the hot favorite to win the race. And as for Chebet, he is a two-time champion, winning the race in 2022 and 2023, respectively. 

All three of the athletes did compete last year, too, where John failed to capitalize. But this time around, he did come prepared. After the initial hiccups, John had a big nudge ahead of the 20-mile mark. And this proved to be a pivotal moment in the race. John continued to break free as he ended with a time of 2:04:45.

Incidentally, this was the fastest time recorded in the tournament after Geoffrey Mutai won the race back in 2011, clocking 2:03:02. Interestingly enough, the start of the race was not at all a good omen for John Korir. He took a literal stumble before steadying himself up for the victory.

A fall doesn’t stop John Korir from stunning Boston

He hit the ground before the race had even begun. One moment, John Korir was surging forward with the pack at the start of the Boston Marathon. Next, he was on the pavement, tripped, jolted, and scrambled back to his feet. For a split second, it felt like the marathon world stopped spinning. An early fall like that can end races. Can crush momentum. It can shake even the strongest runners. But not Korir.

He didn’t stop to process it. He didn’t glance back, as his only aim was to hold on to his big brother’s winning legacy. With his race bib tucked into his shorts and adrenaline surging through his veins, Korir charged on—no drama, no theatrics, just resolve. The fall may have rattled the spectators, but for Korir, it only ignited something deeper.

He picked himself up, brushed off the doubt, and started hunting down the very dream that had felt just out of reach when he hit the ground. One foot after the other, with thousands watching, he rewrote what resilience looks like on Boston’s streets. By the time he reached the finish line, crumpled bib in hand, Korir wasn’t just a winner—he was a force of will.

He turned what could’ve been a devastating start into an unforgettable victory, proving that sometimes greatness begins with a fall.