Isabella Ochichi crowned the Kenya Police 10,000m champion
Athletics
By
DENNIS OKEYO
| Apr 22, 2016
Former Olympic Games 5000m silver medallist Isabella Ochichi was crowned the Kenya Police 10,000m champion as the fiercely contested departmental championships started yesterday at Kasarani Stadium.
A rich field of several Olympics and World champions were in attendance, but it was Ochichi who emerged the beneficiary on day one of the three-day action by obliterating the young field to dethrone World champion Vivian Cheruiyot, who opted out of her title defence.
Ochichi clocked 33:11.6 ahead of Esther Chemutai who came home a distant second in 33:44.7 followed by Mercy Chemutai in 34:11.8.
The former Commonwealth Games champion, who recently switched to marathon running, said she was using the championship to prepare for the Ottawa Marathon next month.
“The weather drastically changed from cold to humid, making it hard for me during the race. At the moment I am focusing on the Ottawa Marathon but if I can get the time for the Olympics, the better for me,” the 37-year-old Ochichi said.
In the other highlight of the day, World 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett dropped his specialty to compete in the 400m.
Bett, who is eyeing the Diamond League season that starts in Shanghai, comfortably qualified for the semi-finals after clocking 47.6 to finish second behind Duncan Ngaru (46.9).
The hurdles sensation said he was using the championships in his preparation ahead of the new season, which he hopes will culminate in a podium finish at the summer Olympics come August.
He revealed that in addition to the 400m race, he would also take part in the 200m races, which start with the semi-finals this morning.
“I’m using the championships to prepare,” said Bett. “I’m happy with how it went today in the 400m and I am hoping for a repeat performance in the shorter 200m.”
In the 5000m men semi-finals, Vincent Yator, James Kibet, Isaiah Koech and Nixon Chepseba qualified for the finals. World 1500m silver winner Elijah Manangoi finished in 1:48.98 in the 800m after going a discipline lower in a bid to sharpen his pace.