John Korir wrote his name into Boston Marathon history with his triumph on Monday.
The reigning Chicago champion’s 2:04:45 win was not only the second fastest men’s time in Boston history, it also earned the Kenyan and his brother Wesley the distinction of becoming the first brothers to have won the 129-year-old race.
Wesley won the race in 2012, but in far less dramatic circumstances than the beginning of John’s bid to join him on the list of champions.
He tripped at the start, falling flat on his chest and almost being trampled as the elite men charged off the line to begin their plunge downhill.
The incident tore his race bib from the front of his best, forcing him to stuff it into his shorts for the entire race, but once he regained his composure the 25-year-old set about the task of exhibiting the patience and discipline the Boston course demands.
In a group containing two-time champion Evans Chebet, Korir chose the traditional break point of Heartbreak Hill to make his move, and by the 21-mile marker had created a gap of 18 seconds over the rest, with Chebet falling off the pace.
Korir built on his lead in the final 10km and eventually took the tape 19 seconds ahead of a desperate sprint finish between Cybrian Kotut and Alphonce Simbu, with Simbu taking second. American Conner Mantz had the race of his life and took fourth in 2:05:08.
Korir confirmed afterwards that he had pinpointed the 20-mile point to launch his bid for victory. “We planned that with my coach and my brother and everyone in my crew,” he said. “And we said at 20 miles I will try and make the move. And I tried and it worked well. If I make the move, I was going to make a big gap. And if anyone tries to close, he will not be able to close.”
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