Canadian 800m champ Marco Arop carries spirit of resilient family's journey with every step

Surrounded by the ravages of a civil war in Sudan 20 years ago, the parents of emerging Canadian track star Marco Arop could never have imagined this life for their son. 

But their decision to escape the unrest that ravaged their home country for a better life in Canada has allowed not only Marco to thrive, but the rest of the family of eight as well.

At the beginning of July, Arop's parents, mother Aluel Lual and father Rau Arop, were bursting with pride as they watched Marco run to victory in the 800 metres in the pre world invitational championships at Foote Field in Edmonton, the city the family now makes its home.

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Marco stopped the clock in a time of one minute 43.61 seconds, a track record and the third-fastest time anyone has run the event this year.

To put forward that performance with family and friends watching, as a final tune-up ahead of this month's world championships in Eugene, Ore., was as good as it could get for the 23-year-old.

"They don't get to see me race often, but whenever they do it is nice to see them around," Marco said recently. "I find it interesting because I know some families are heavily involved in athletics and my family supports me. But it's nice to be able to go home and I don't think about track.

"I can go home and I can just be a part of the family."

WATCH | Marco Arop is heating up for world championships:

That run in Edmonton is one of Marco's most impressive 800-metres ever, about a half-second shy of his personal-best time 1:43.26, and came a week after he won the national championships in Langley, B.C., in a time of 1:44.39.

"It was my first time watching him run in Edmonton. The whole family and everybody here in Edmonton is so happy about it," Aluel told CBC Sports. "He's representing Canada. I think he's doing very good and we are so proud of him for what he's doing."

Equally proud is Rau, who knew at a young age Marco was destined for athletic greatness. 

"All of our family and community members were there to see him. We were yelling and we were so excited," he said. "Marco was special in his own ways when he was young. He was smart and very quiet. He was careful with what he was doing since he was a kid.

"That let us know in his future he was going to be special."