At the 2002 Lisbon Half Marathon, Kipsang Korir was better, while Cheruiyot Korir beat his namesake at a cross country event in Kenya in 2003. At the 2005 Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run, John Cheruiyot Korir was fifth in an event won by John Kipsang Korir.
In a series of athletic competitions, Kipsang Korir excelled at the 2002 Lisbon Half Marathon, while his cousin Cheruiyot Korir outdid him in a cross country race in Kenya in 2003. The two cousins also competed against each other at the 2005 Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run, with John Cheruiyot Korir finishing fifth and John Kipsang Korir taking the top spot.