Canada’s 800m Olympic silver medallist Marco Arop is stepping up in distance to tackle the inaugural Grand Slam Observe (GST) season, adjusting his objectives to deal with the longer, much less acquainted 1,500m occasion. However his opponents, which incorporates the whole Olympic 1,500m podium, appear to suppose Arop is being a bit too formidable. “Marco popping out and saying that he desires to run a 3:30 is the cutest factor that I’ve ever seen,” 1,500m Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr stated on the Citius Magazine podcast on Thursday. “However he’s going to have use his head.”
Marco Arop caught a stray. 😭
“Marco popping out and saying that he desires to run a 3:30 is the cutest factor that I’ve ever seen.” pic.twitter.com/zJU9WwroU0
— Alex Predhome (@Predamame) January 9, 2025
Kerr’s remark addressed Arop’s objectives for the inaugural Grand Slam Observe season within the 1,500m, which the Canadian revealed in a Citius Magazine podcast episode on Tuesday. “I’d sound loopy to say this, however I feel I can break 3:30 in some unspecified time in the future,” Arop admitted. He’ll be competing at 4 Slams in opposition to Kerr and People Yared Nuguse and Cole Hocker, operating each the 800m and 1,500m occasions at every competitors.
“It’s so cute,” Kerr stated. “He’s so good about it. However he’s going to have to make use of his mind. It’s not, ‘let’s swap the mind off and run two laps as quick as doable’–there’s a lot extra to a 1,500m.”
“When you can run 3:30, that’s fantastic–most individuals on the earth can run 3:30,” Kerr continued. “It’s, can you understand what’s happening, can u get the splits proper, are you able to make your transfer on the proper time, do you exit quick or exit slower. I feel that’s the half he’s not going to get proper early, however he’ll study over the Grand Slam meets.”
Marco Arop turns into first Canadian to signal with Grand Slam Observe League
Arop holds the North American 800m and 1,000m data, and ran 1:41.20 within the Paris Olympic 800m ultimate with a damaging break up–which could be very uncommon in such a brief distance. The 26-year-old is usually compelled to hold again early in 800m races resulting from his tall stature and lengthy stride to keep away from tripping. Of all 800m runners, he’s probably probably the most skilled on the subject of ways.
Whereas Kerr says “most individuals” can dip underneath 3:30, the World Athletics all-time checklist reveals that solely 48 folks in historical past have really damaged that barrier. If profitable, Arop would grow to be the primary Canadian athlete to affix that assortment of names–Kevin Sullivan’s almost 25-year-old 1,500m Canadian file is 3:31.71.