Another photo finish, but a different result for Canada.
Marco Arop just missed becoming Canada’s first-ever Olympic champion in the men’s 800 metres, finishing one-hundredth of a second behind winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya.
The thrilling finish came mere hours after Canadian canoeist Katie Vincent won her sprint by one-hundredth of a second to take gold.
Arop’s silver is Canada’s 26th medal at Paris 2024.
Wanyonyi finished in one minute, 41.19 seconds, just ahead of Arop’s national-record time. Djamel Sedjati of Algeria won bronze in 1:41.50. They are the third- and fourth-fastest times in the history of the event.
Arop was very happy with his performance.
“It’s just everything,” he told CBC Olympics. “We’ve been fighting for this all year long. You always hope to get the best race when it matters. Today, I couldn’t have asked for a better race. I’ve just got to give a lot of credit to the people behind me.
Arop charged from seventh to second in the second and final lap.
The result was a flip from the 2023 world championships when Arop, 25, took gold and Wanyonyi grabbed silver.
“I thought I had the right positioning,” Arop said. “Down the homestretch, it really looked like I had it. I know Wanyonyi’s a strong finisher. I’ve got to give credit where credit’s due.”
Arop is the first Canadian to hit the Olympic podium in the men’s 800 since Bill Crothers took silver at the 1964 Tokyo Games. He decided to start competing in the 800 after watching Kenya’s David Rudisha win the race in a world-record time at the 2012 London Olympics.
“It’s surreal to me how one race could inspire an entire career. That race in 2012 is really where this whole journey started,” Arop said.
Arop took bronze at the world championships in 2022 and missed the final at the Olympics in 2021 in Tokyo.
The Canadian won his semifinal heat to book a spot in the Olympic final.
Meanwhile, the Canadian women’s 4×400-metre relay team of Zoe Sherar, Savannah Sutherland, Kyra Constantine and Lauren Gale finished sixth in the final on Saturday.
The United States cruised to gold, beating the Netherlands by more than four seconds. Great Britain was third.
Canadian middle-distance runner Marco Arop put on an impressive performance at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, winning a silver medal in the men’s 800 metres race. Arop narrowly missed out on the gold medal, finishing just behind Emmanuel Korir of Kenya in a thrilling race that had fans on the edge of their seats.
Arop, who was born in Sudan and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, has been making a name for himself in the track and field world with his impressive speed and endurance. The 22-year-old athlete showed great determination and skill in the 800 metres final, pushing himself to the limit and giving it his all to secure a spot on the podium.
Arop’s silver medal win is a significant achievement for Canadian athletics, as it marks the first time a Canadian has won a medal in the men’s 800 metres event at the Olympics since 1996. His performance in Tokyo has solidified his status as one of Canada’s top middle-distance runners and has cemented his place among the world’s elite athletes.
Despite narrowly missing out on the gold medal, Arop’s silver medal win is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and talent. He has proven himself to be a formidable competitor on the international stage and has inspired a new generation of Canadian athletes to strive for greatness.
As Arop celebrates his well-deserved silver medal win, fans and supporters are already looking forward to seeing what he will achieve in the future. With his incredible talent and determination, there is no doubt that Marco Arop will continue to make waves in the world of track and field and inspire others to reach for their own Olympic dreams.