Alternative to "winner takes it all" or "first-past-the-post"

Consider the scenario of two scientists independently and concurrently working on a problem. The first one to achieve the breakthrough and have his or her results published will eventually be the one to who is remembered. The work of the runner-up, on the other hand, will essentially go to waste since there won't be any reason to have it published. Similar examples could be said of explorers, pioneers, etc.

I'm looking for a compact expression for this. The winner takes it all isn't exactly accurate because it's not so much a matter of winning as it is a matter of getting there first and being recognized for it. Similarly, first-past-the-post is too tightly linked to the context of elections to be applicable.

"The early bird gets the worm"

the person who arrives first is the one who is successful:

We’ll want to be at the theater early for the best seats – the early bird gets the worm!

Or, even more appropriately from wiktionary

Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are only available to the first competitors.

There is no prize for second place

There are various examples of its usage:

Jeffrey Gitomer:

There is no prize in sales for second place. It's win or nothing. The masters know this and strive for - they fight for - that winning edge.

Omar N. Bradley:

In war there is no second prize for the runner-up.

Or a book by Don R. Gingerich.

It can be a cut throat world in academic publishing, so maybe it's a valid comparison.