Sprint to the finish

Nothing that happened on Sunday was unfamiliar to John Korir. The sights, the sounds and the feeling of crossing the Bloomsday finish line first – he’d seen it and done it all before.

The 31-year-old Kenyan sprinted ahead of a three-man deadlock to win the elite men’s race and take back the title he won in 2003 and 2005 and pocket the $7,000 prize money.

His finishing time was 34 minutes, 18 seconds – one second ahead of second-place finisher John Yuda (34:19) of Tanzania and two seconds ahead of fellow Kenyan Julius Kibet (34:20).

“It’s fantastic to be the champion again,” said Korir, who wasn’t a factor in the race until halfway through the second mile. “It’s a nice course, and I wasn’t in the race last year, and I love to win here.”

The race was without defending champion Gilbert Okari (Kenya) who was scratched late Friday night, along with Charles Kiama Munyeki, because of injuries. Okari placed second behind Korir in 2005, and the new champion said it took a little pressure off to have Okari out of the race.

“It’s good,” Korir said. “I’ve beat him and he has beat me, so I think it would have been a good race between all of us.”

Who knows what Okari would have added to the mix. Either way, it couldn’t have been a more exciting race.

Kenya’s Hillary Kimaiyo was the early leader, but faded halfway down Riverside and fell out of contention for good on Fort George Wright Drive.

“I think (Hillary) probably just started out too fast,” Korir said. “It’s hard to lead by a lot and then fall behind.”

Korir appeared in the second mile and joined an 11-man pack, led by fellow Kenyans George Misoi and Nicholas Kamakya, that stayed together through the third mile.

Kamakya was slowed on Government Way when he bent over and tried to pick up a cell phone battery that fell off the media truck. Then his watch fell off, and he had to pick it up twice after failing on his first attempt to throw the watch into the media truck.

Kibet took his first lead of the 12k race as the 11-man pack leading the field turned onto Fort George Wright Drive, slightly ahead of Kamakya and Korir.

“We were all just running together,” Korir said. “It was tough because everyone was so close today, and it could have been someone else who crossed the line first.”

As the runners crossed T.J. Meenach Bridge in the fourth mile, the field of frontrunners was reduced to nine, with Korir, Kamakya and Kibet slightly ahead.

Four runners emerged from Doomsday Hill – which got the best of Kamakya – with a signifigant lead heading into the sixth mile.

And then, at the six-mile marker, there were three – Korir, Kibet and Yuda.

“When it was John, Juluis and I, I started to think I could win,” Korir said. “But we were all still very close by each other so I couldn’t let up.”

He didn’t let up, and with a half a mile to go, Korir emerged from the three-man pack and sprinted in for the victory.

“Yeah, that was real close,” Korir said with a laugh. “It was a good day.”