Ochichi wins sprint to end

Isabella Ochichi didn’t expect to have to sprint to the finish.

Not that it mattered.

Ochichi, a 26-year-old Kenyan, held off a furious late surge from Ukrainian Tetyana Hladyr to win Bloomsday’s women’s elite race in her first appearance Sunday, finishing the 12,000-meter course in a time of 38 minutes, 38 seconds, the second-fastest in Bloomsday history.

The fastest time was posted by Kenya’s Delillah Asiago, who ran 38:31 in 1995.

It wasn’t Ochichi’s plan to set any records – she just likes to put on a show for the spectators.

“That’s my style,” she said. “I like running fast. I like making my fans feel good. I don’t want to run slow and just win; it doesn’t seem good (for fans) to go down and enjoy watching the race. I love running hard.”

But it was a close call for the silver medalist in the 5,000 meters in the 2004 Athens Olympics, who exploded out of the gate but was caught at the end by Hladyr.

Running out in front all race, Ochichi enjoyed a big lead heading toward Doomsday Hill – even looking back and smiling when making the turn onto Fort George Wright Drive.

But Hladyr, who was more than 75 meters behind Ochichi and in third place at the bottom of Doomsday Hill, slowly closed the gap.

Hladyr, who won the 2006 Rome Marathon in a record time of 2 hours, 25:44, started her final push on Broadway at Ash, pulling to within 5 meters after Jefferson and finally getting on Ochichi’s hip at the courthouse.

The two were all but even at the turn onto Monroe, but Ochichi kicked into another gear and outsprinted Hladyr to take home the $7,000 first prize.

Afterward, Ochichi admitted Hladyr’s surge made her a little uneasy.

“I was nervous,” Ochichi said. “I did not expect her. I was feeling like I was really far (ahead) so I thought nobody could close it, but actually when I saw her, I thought, ‘She’s here, I can just use my sprint now.’ “

Hladyr’s time of 38:40 was good for third all-time, and she’ll take home a $4,500 paycheck.

“My plan was for 3-5 (place),” Hladyr said. “… I was very happy, it was a nice, good run.”

Benita Johnson, an Australian who stayed with Ochichi until Cemetery Hill, took third in a time of 39:04. She said Ochichi was just too good.

“I stayed with Isabella (at the start),” said Johnson, who earned $3,000 for her performance, “and I maybe went out a little too hard. … I just wasn’t good enough today.”

Nicole R. Aish, whose husband, Mike, took ninth in the men’s race, was the top American woman, also finishing ninth in 41:32.