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

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.

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