Canadian middle-distance star Marco Arop has hinted out that he wasn’t always destined for the track saying he didn’t even like running.
The reigning world 800m champion who struck gold at the 2023 World Athletics Championships after taking bronze the year before, opened up about his unlikely journey to the top during a recent episode of Spill the Ice Tee on Grand Slam Track.
“I actually didn’t like running at all,” Arop admitted. “I used to do cross-country and just hated it, was more into basketball.”
Born in Sudan and raised in Canada, Arop’s path into athletics was anything but conventional. He only discovered track in his final year of high school and even then, it was more of a casual experiment than a serious commitment.
“My first event ever was a 400 in high school,” he said. “Then I did the 800 and won. That’s when I figured, maybe I’m actually good at this.”
Arop’s Dominance in GST
Fast forward to 2025, and Arop has become Canada’s undisputed middle-distance king. He has swept the men’s 800m at every stop of this year’s Grand Slam Track series. But he insists his focus isn’t on times or trophies, it’s about building something more meaningful.
“Legacy,” he said. “Time comes and goes. There’s always going to be someone who runs faster eventually. But legacies last forever.”
Despite his dominance in the 800m, Arop isn’t afraid to test new waters. This season, he’s stepped into the 1500m, an event that’s demanded a new level of patience and racecraft.
“I’m still working on it,” he said. “In the 800, I feel confident. But the 15 is different, it’s tactical. You can’t just go out there and do whatever you want.”
At the Philly Slam, Arop finished off the podium in the 1500m, with Josh Kerr taking the win in 3:34.44. But the setback didn’t shake Arop’s confidence.
“This could be my villain origin story,” he joked. “I’m only going to be losing for so long.”
