Marco Arop of Edmonton. Alberta is one of the very best track and field athletes on the planet. He is the reigning world champion in the men’s 800 metres, and I have had the privilege of speaking to him. Here are the answers to my questions.
Q: You are a native of Khartoum, Sudan. What age did you move to Canada?
A: “I was three years old.”
Q: Why does the 800 metres suit your running style the most?
A: “I think it suits me because I have a lot of speed. I guess I am stuck in the middle. I’m not quite as fast in the 400, and have more speed than the 1500. The 800 fits me the best.”
Q: Prior to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, you reached the podium twice in Sweden and Monaco. Tell me about those races and what were you pleased about those races the most?
A; “I was very pleased with the style, and the way I ran. I was pleased how I was able to take charge of the race. I was very happy how I was able to hold off my competitors.”
Q: How meaningful was it of you to win the gold medal at the 2017 Canada Summer Games and at the 2019 Pan American Games?
A: “Those wins were huge for me. The Canada Summer Games came after a long season. Being able to hold on and beat some really good competitors, I was really proud of that. The Pan Am Games was my first intentional gold medal for Canada.”
Arop doesn’t shoot for a specific time. His focus is on doing what it takes to win. The men’s 800 metres final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris takes place at 11:25 AM on August 10.
