Marco Arop a breath away from gold in closest ever Olympic 800m finish
“I’ve got a huge lifetime best and a silver medal, I can’t be upset.”
Marco Arop is the Paris 2024 men’s 800m silver medallist and he is also one of the fastest runners in the history of the event.
In a thrilling race which went down to the wire, Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi just out-leaned Arop by 1/100th of a second. Canada’s fastest middle distance runner lowered his Canadian record by 1.65 seconds to a remarkably fast time of 1:41.20, making him the fourth-fastest man in the history of the event.
Arop beamed with joy when asked about his race.
“I had a great night. We’ve been fighting for this day all year long and we thought we’d timed it right, and I just couldn’t be happier with the way I performed.”
The 25-year-old had a quiet year, competing in a few choice races heading into Paris 2024. On Friday night, Arop casually raced to a first place finish in his semifinal to advance to the final.
“The biggest thing I think is just staying healthy. I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my physiotherapist Mary Brannagan — without her I wouldn’t be able to be here.”
Arop detailed the great work he and his coach have accomplished this year,
“Of course, coach Ron Thompson and I worked on cues coming into the last hundred, and just how to use my arms, stay relaxed and come running in. I think I got it right here, I couldn’t have asked for a better finish. We almost got it.”
Arop, the reigning world champion in the 800m, entered the stadium on Saturday evening, crossed himself, and gave a quiet smile in front of a roaring crowd of 75,000 before making his way to lane 9 where he would start his Olympic 800m final as one of the top racers.
It was a much different scenario than at Tokyo 2020 where the runner from Edmonton got only as far as the semifinal.
Arop’s journey to the Olympics began with running success just a few years after stepping onto the track. He won 800m gold at the Canadian U20 Championships in 2017 and then in 2019, Arop set a 800m Canadian indoor record in a time of 1:45.90. In 2022, he captured bronze at the World Athletics Championships.
When asked about his success on the track, Arop praised his parents for their unwavering support.
“I can never thank them enough, no matter how much I try. They’ve sacrificed so much for me and my brother. In moments like these, all I can do is thank them and hope that moving forward they can be proud of the kids they raised.”
Arop made history at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest when he became the first Canadian ever to be crowned 800m world champion.
A month later, Arop set the outdoor 800m Canadian record at the Diamond League Final in Eugene, Oregon in a time of 1:42.85.
Suffice to say, Arop built up impressive wins and experiences going into the Paris 2024 final.
A picture of patience and confidence, Arop allowed the field to unfold as he hung at the back of the pack for the first 300 metres of the final. He started to pick off runners with one lap to go.
Fourth with just 200 metres left, Arop, with his long and strong strides, ran in lane two to avoid traffic.
With 150 metres to go, he strode by another runner, to put himself in third place. In the final stretch, Arop honed in on leader Wanyonyi. Arop appeared to gather all his strength and courage and made a final push for gold. It would become an epic last 75-metre sprint to the finish line for the two runners.
“In that moment, you just try to focus on your cues,” Arop recounted of the intense last seconds in the Olympic final. “Try to stay technical, try not to fall apart, and I did everything I could. It’s not the first time we had a finish like that, it seems he just had the edge at the finish. He’s an incredible athlete. It’s not the last time we race like that, and hopefully the next time I’ll be on top.”
Arop stressed the importance of staying clear of race traffic.
“In a race like that, you just want to be clear, you don’t want any accidents happening. I thought being at the back or outside would be the best move. Being on the outside might’ve hurt a little bit, but at the end of the day it’s still the best race I’ve ever run.”
Arop made up ground with every stride and a breath away from the finish line, both runners extended their chests to cross the line in a most thrilling finale. The naked eye could not determine the winner but the photo finish would give the win to Wanyonyi in a time of 1:41.19.
Arop revealed to reporters the 800m results indicates a new level of racing has arrived.
“We knew the 800m race is going to be entering a different level than it has been in the past few years. This year we’ve seen top-10 performances by so many people. I just want to be a part of it and I’m glad I was able to prove to the world that I belong up there.
“Just being part of that line-up is a huge accomplishment. Being first is everything we hope to do, but at the end of the day we just try to perform to the best of our abilities. I’ll go to sleep knowing I gave it my all.”