If you tuned into the start of the 2025 Boston Marathon, you might have missed it — a brief flash of chaos as John Korir hit the ground just seconds after the gun went off in Hopkinton.
One moment, he was charging forward with the pack. The next, he was flat on the pavement, his bib torn clean off.
For most runners, that would be game over. For Korir, it was just the beginning of something sensational.
Korir, 28, didn’t waste a second. He scooped up his crumpled bib, jammed it into his shorts, and got right back on his feet and into the race like nothing had happened.
No stress. No drama.
Just a deep breath and a decision: today was not going to be ruined by a stumble.
“I just said to myself, ‘Keep going,'” Korir said after the race.
By the 10K mark, a big group of elites was still hammering up front, with American Conner Mantz and defending champ Sisay Lemma setting the tone. Korir got himself back into the mix and tucked in, biding his time.
When Lemma began to struggle and eventually faded around Mile 17, the race blew wide open. That’s when Korir made his move — and never looked back.
Around 90 minutes into the race, Korir surged ahead. It wasn’t just a gentle acceleration; it was a statement. Within minutes, he had carved out a 25-second lead. By 35K, he was clear. By the time he hit Boylston Street, he was holding a crumpled bib in one hand and the Boston Marathon in the other.
He broke the tape in 2:04:45 — the fastest Boston win since Geoffrey Mutai’s blistering course record back in 2011. And, yes, faster than his brother Wesley Korir’s winning time in 2012 by a full eight minutes.
“I am the fastest in the family,” John said afterward with a grin.
Wesley was right there at the finish line to embrace him, a fitting scene for a day that made the Korirs the first siblings ever to both win the Boston Marathon.
Behind him, Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania and Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut fought it out for second, both finishing in 2:05:04. Conner Mantz, who’d animated the early miles, held on for a strong fourth in 2:05:08 — the second-fastest American time ever recorded at Boston.
Boston’s not like other marathons. It’s quirky — point-to-point, hilly, and notoriously unpredictable. That’s why it doesn’t qualify for world records. So when someone throws down a 2:04:45 here, it’s a big deal.
For Korir, it’s another jewel in a crown that’s been growing steadily since he crushed the 2024 Chicago Marathon in 2:02:44, becoming one of the fastest men in history over the distance.
Now, with Chicago and Boston under his belt, he’s officially a global star.
