PARIS, France –
Canada’s Marco Arop has claimed Olympic silver in the men’s 800 metres on Saturday at Stade de France after being edged at the finish line by Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
The 25-year-old hailing from Edmonton stopped the clock in a Canadian-record time of one minute 41.20 seconds.
Wanyonyi held on for gold, beating Arop by one-hundredth of a second in 1:41.19.
“It wasn’t the first time that we’ve had a finish like that. I knew Wanyonyi was going to have a good last 10 metres and I was just trying to match him,” Arop said of the photo finish.
Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, who entered the race unbeaten this year, took bronze in 1:41.50.
Arop entered the Olympics as the reigning world champion in the event and also claimed bronze at the 2022 world championships.
He is the second Canadian to medal in the men’s 800 at a world championship alongside Gary Reed’s silver in 2007.
“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,” Arop said.
“I’ve got a huge lifetime best and a silver medal, I can’t be upset.”
Arop’s Olympic medal is Canada’s first in the event since Bill Crothers earned silver at the 1964 Tokyo Games, and fifth ever.
Alex Wilson and Phil Edwards earned silver and bronze, respectively, at the 1932 Los Angeles Games, with Edwards earning another bronze at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2024.
