Since VIRGO wasn't running at high enough signal to noise ratio before 2017, yes. But then again "LIGO" is not just one person but hundreds if not more. The sam

Since VIRGO wasn't running at high enough signal to noise ratio before 2017, yes. But then again "LIGO" is not just one person but hundreds if not more. The same could be said for CERN which had initial papers with around 1000 coauthors.