Athletics: Ochichi Sets World 5K Record at Carlsbad - Berhanu Repeats as Men's Champion

By Ryan Lamppa and Basil Honikman, Running USA wire

CARLSBAD, Calif. - (March 28, 2004) - The Carlsbad 5000 is synonymous with great competition and world records and Sunday's race, under warm, breezy conditions, was no exception as Kenya's Isabella Ochichi set a world 5K road record in 14:53, while Ethiopia's Dejene Berhanu repeated as men's champion in 13:23.

With two current world champions and the 10,000 meter gold medalist from the 1997 World Track Championships, the Women's invitational promised to be one of the most competitive ever. As it turned out 2003 Carlsbad runner-up, Isabella Ochichi, 24, threw in an unanswerable surge at 1.5 miles and ran away from the field to a U.S. All-Comers and, for the present time, a new world 5 kilometer world road record. Although Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain has run a 14:51 on a certified course in London last September, said course needs remeasurement (which is scheduled for this April).

A group of four including 2004 World Cross Country 4K champion Benita Johnson of Australia, Ochichi, 2004 World Indoor 3000 meter champion Meseret Defar and Sentayehu Ejigu of Ethiopia, established themselves at the front of the race. The lead women passed the first mile in 4:42 and then exchanged the lead for the next 800 meters. Then Ochichi, who ran 14:56 here last year, began to pull away. She reached the second mile in 9:25. Neither the uphill nor the headwinds had any effect on her pace. At that point she was about 9 seconds ahead of Johnson who had about a 30 meter lead on Ejigu and Defar. About 400 meters before turning onto the finish stretch on Carlsbad Village Drive, Ochichi seemed to be struggling but this proved to be an illusion as she gathered herself for a stretch drive to the victory. Johnson finished strongly, 14 seconds behind in 15:07.

Gracious in defeat, Johnson said, "I went out hard, but Isabella opened a gap on me at one and a half miles. I tried my hardest to catch her but she was too speedy for me today. All credit to her - I'll be back next year."

"I didn't know if a world record was possible today. I thought it would be too hot, but during the race I felt comfortable and knew that I had to run a fantastic race against Benita to win," said Ochichi who won $15,000 which includes a $10,000 world record bonus.

In the men's race, nobody wanted to take the pace so the entire men's field of 11 hit the first mile in 4:17 and at the uphill second mile (4:26), nine men were still in the hunt including men's defending champion Berhanu and Kenyans Raymond Yator, Boniface Songok and Boaz Cheboiywo. Around the 2.5 mile mark on Carlsbad Boulevard just before Beech Street, Berhanu surged, looked back at his competition and pulled away for good as he ran unchallenged to the tape in 13:23 with Songok second 7 seconds back.

"Today was about winning not about running fast, and I was happy when I broke away that nobody went with me," said the soft-spoken Ethiopian.

In the master's races, Peter Magill of South Pasadena outkicked Brian Pope of Oxford, Miss., 14:51 to 14:52, while Monica Joyce of Pinckney, Mich. set a U.S. 45-49 age group record of 17:08 to handily win the women's race over Dolly Ginter of nearby Irvine (17:54).

19th Carlsbad 5000 - Carlsbad, CA, Sunday, March 28, 2004

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