Posted: April 21, 2006

Athletics: Elite Division One to Watch at Sunday’s Sun Run

The Vancouver Sun Run, April 23, 2006

Vancouver (April 21, 2006) - Two of the world’s most competitive runners, Isabella Ochichi and Gilbert Okari, both from Kenya, will compete in the 2006 Sun Run Elite Division making this a race to watch in this weekend’s Sun Run.

Isabella Ochichi, 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in the 5000m, Gold Medalist in the recent 2006 Commonwealth Games (5000m) and first in the Crescent City Classic 10km in New Orleans last weekend is sure to be the top contender for the 2006 Sun Run Women’s title.

Gilbert Okari, who also finished first in the Crescent City Classic 10km last weekend, won the Cherry Blossom 10 mile in Washington DC on April 2 and will definitely be a strong contender for the 2006 Sun Run Men’s title.

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On the women’s side, other runners to watch include Tetyana Hladyr (Ukraine) who recently won the 2006 Rome Marathon.

2003’s Sun Run winner Aster Demissie, a 21-year-old Ethiopian who lives in Edmonton, will be back to try to claim another Sun Run title. Now a landed immigrant, she has lived in Canada since she competed for Ethiopia at the 2001 IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Edmonton. Her best road time of 32:30 at the National 10km Championships in Ottawa in 2003 would certainly put her in the mix.

On the men’s side some of the runners to keep an eye on will be Antony Gitau (Kenya) living in Toronto who finished 2nd in the Vancouver Half Marathon in 2005, Jim Finlayson (Victoria) who finished 4th in the 2005 Sun Run and Matt Johnston (Surrey) who finished 2nd in the Sun Run in 2004.

The Vancouver Sun Run is presented by HSBC Bank Canada. The race kicks off at 9 a.m. in downtown Vancouver. Athletes will compete for a prize purse of $21,000 with awards going to the top three male and female overall finishers, top five Canadian male and female finishers, and the top three overall masters male and female. Wheelchair athletes compete for a total prize purse of $2,000. For more information visit www.sunrun.com or call 604-689-9441.

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