August 13, 2012 (LONDON) – Guor Marial, South Sudan’s first Olympian, has not just inspired a generation, the theme of the London 2012 Games, but has become an inspiration for a whole nation as well as stateless people around the world.
Guor Marial outside the Olympic Village in London the day after running in the London 2012 marathon. 13 August 2012 (Tom Law/ST)
In Sunday’s marathon Marial came 47th out of a field of over a hundred but for once it really was the taking part that mattered.
Given special compensation to compete as an Independent Olympic Athlete just days before the start of the Games, Marial was at the wrong stage of his training cycle meaning that his time of 2:19:32 was way over his personal best.
On Monday Marial told Sudan Tribune that he “wished it was a race [he] had prepared for. That would have been much better” but added that in this case finishing was “just as important”. Finishing half way down the field was still a considerable achievement, especially as 20 out of 105 athletes in the marathon did not finish due to the heat.
Marial insisted that for him the heat was “not a factor” but admitted he had been under prepared due to his last minute inclusion and the fatigue of the intense media interest in his story. Before arriving in London he was conducting three to four interviews a day, even responding to interview requests at 2am and 5am local time in his home of Flagstaff, Arizona.
His journey from an eight-year-old who fled Sudan’s civil war to the confident yet humble 28-year-old who twice ran the Olympic qualifying time for the marathon over the last year attracted considerable international press coverage when it appeared as if he would not be able to appear in the Games.
Despite having permanent leave to remain in the United States, Marial is still waiting to be granted full citizenship. He was therefore unable to run under the American flag, and as thirteen-month-old South Sudan does not have an Olympic Committee, he was told he would not be allowed to compete in the colours of his homeland either.
Marial said that knowing only a week in advance that he was going to the Olympics was “something overwhelming but […] the position and the time was insignificant”, as representing the people of South Sudan was his “number one priority”.
He declined the offer to run as part of the Sudanese team and after a campaign and extensive media coverage the International Olympic Association offered Marial the chance to run as an independent, one of only six given special dispensation to take part in the 30th Olympiad.
Sudan’s was a “great offer”, he said, but he could not accept it because “as an athlete it is very important to do what is best for your people”. Marial lost 28 members of his family including eight sisters and brothers during the civil war between the Southern rebels (SPLA) and the Sudanese government, which ended in 2005 allowing South Sudan to secede last year.
Around two million died and four million were displaced in the two-decade conflict.
“After what I have been through and the people of South Sudan, I had to take the right path […] I do think that whatever I do I don’t do for myself, I do it for the country and that was very important to me.”
Marial hopes that his story will be an inspiration not just to the people of South Sudan but to refugees all over the world. However, he refuses to say he is a role model insisting that it is up to other people to take what they want from what he has achieved.
It was the talent of the South Sudanese people that made Marial fight to come to the Olympics, he said, adding that he hopes what he has done has “put South Sudan on the world map” showing that “South Sudan is not just a country of war […] it is a country with positives […] with kids who can compete with anyone in the world.”
Marial insists that there are young sportsmen and women much more talented than himself in South Sudan, they just needed to be given an opportunity. As soon as he is able to, Marial intends to return to South Sudan to see what part he can play in encouraging the next generation of sporting talent.
It will also give him the chance to visit his family in Unity State, including his father who he has not seen for over 20 years. Such a prospect would clearly mean the world to him but the biggest smile of the whole interview comes when he is asked how he would feel to represent South Sudan at the next Games in Brazil.
“I love my country and one day I hope to be able to wear that [South Sudanese] jersey.”
He said that seeing the South Sudanese flag at the side of the road during the 42 kilometre race elevated his spirit and enabled him to run faster. He also stated that he was proud to wear the IOC colours and raise awareness about what South Sudanese people have been through to gain their independence as well as to promote the cause of refugees in general.
Rio 2016
South Sudan’s Youth and Sports Minister, Dr. Cirino Hiteng Ofuho told Sudan Tribune in Juba on Monday that it was unfortunate that Marial was not representing South Sudan but said he hoped that “we will have many South Sudanese runners, athletes and other games at the next Olympics”.
South Sudan’s Youth and Sports Minister, Dr. Cirino Hiteng Ofuho (ST)
He said that his ministry was “going to embark […] very rigorously” to prepare South Sudan to send “soccer, basketball, athletics” and other sports teams to the next Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Despite South Sudan’s economic woes the minister said that money would not be a problem in terms of sending representatives to the next tournament. “It’s a sovereign responsibility that if we want to be like other countries in the world, we must therefore pay for what we want to be.”
Listen to Guor Marial speak to Sudan Tribune the day after his race.
Guor Marial fled Sudan aged 8 during the civil war, eventually settling in the US. In 2012 he became one of the stories of the London Olympics, competing as an independent athlete rather than for Sudan or newly independent South Sudan. His inspirational life story is being made into a documentary.
Storified by Sudan Tribune· Mon, Mar 11 2013 16:53:16
Below is the timeline of Guor Marial’s preparation and participation in the London 2012 Olympics.
‘Lost Boy’ Hopes to Run Under Olympic FlagSouth Sudanese marathoner Guor Marial is trying to run in London under the Olympic flag; attorney and agent Brad Poore is trying to help …
In the run-up to the Olympics it appeared as if Guor’s lack of citizenship in any nation would prevent him from competing at London 2012.
South Sudan marathoner is an Olympian without a country(CNN) — Even though he will not compete in the London Olympics under his country’s flag, South Sudan native Guor Marial basks with pride…
For South Sudanese marathoner, Olympics would be the ultimate refugeIOC can do the right thing by opening Olympic race to Guor Marial, a man who ran for his life If the ideals of the Olympics as expressed …
The Marathoner Without a CountryGuor Marial is an elite marathoner without an Olympic team. Or at least that’s the way it looks so far.
But after considerable media coverage and lobbying, on July 21 the International Olympic Committee decided that Guor could run as an independent athlete.The statement on the IOC’s website said:
“The EB also approved a request to allow marathon runner Guor Marial to compete in the London 2012 Games as an Independent Olympic Athlete (IOA) under the Olympic flag. Marial was born in what is now South Sudan, which does not currently have a recognised National Olympic Committee. The athlete, who does not hold a passport from any country, is a permanent resident (refugee status green card) of the United States but not a citizen. As such, he is unable to compete for the United States, South Sudan or Sudan. Marial qualified for the Games with an A Standard time on 2 October 2011.”
IOC Executive Board meets ahead of London GamesPettigrew, Cox cases In the case of Antonio Pettigrew ( US, athletics), participant in the men’s 400m race (7th place) and the 4x400m men…
In an interview with the Huffington Post after the announcement Guor describes how he was willing to give up on the chance to compete at the Olympics, after he had turned down an offer to represent Sudan, from which South Sudan separated in July 2011.
Guor Marial: Marathon Runner Flees Sudan, Heads to London OlympicsGuor Marial was prepared to sacrifice his Olympic dreams. The South Sudanese marathon runner swept through the 26.2 miles of Minneapolis’…
South Sudanese Olympian to compete ‘without flag’katrinamu
In these weeks he was conducting three to four interviews a day, even responding to interview requests at 2am and 5am local time in his home of Flagstaff, Arizona.
Guor Marial: Olympic Athlete and Resident of Flagstaff, AZ – Office of Congressman Paul Gosarrepgosar
Guor Miral: Meet The Olympian Without A Country | Olympics | TIME.comIf Olympic marathoner Guor Marial wins the gold medal on the Aug. 12, he’ll proudly stand atop the podium, while an anthem plays over the…
South Sudanese refugee to run Olympic marathon as an independentUS-based Guor Marial has won the right to compete as a stateless athlete after refusing to compete under Sudan’s flag A refugee from Suda…
First Person: Guor Marial, Olympic Runnerassociatedpress
An Interview with South Sudanese Marathoner Guor MarialKeep updated on the latest in outdoor adventure with Outside Magazine’s outdoor adventure blog.
Marial arrived in London too late to participate in the opening ceremony.
London 2012: Olympic Marathon runner escapes child slaverysntvonline
London Olympics: Guor Marial is loneliest of long-distance runnersLONDON — The Olympian without a country is not without a budget. Guor Marial shows up for an interview at the Olympic village dressed in…
The marathon man with no team – Al Jazeera BlogsThey say it’s lonely being a marathon runner. But Guor Marial is in danger of being the loneliest of them all. He’s the man with official…
Ahead of his race Guor told the world’s press he was running to represent the world:
Olympic marathoner Guor Marial is South Sudan’s symbol of hope | David Epstein | SI.comThree weeks ago, Guor Marial was not on the invite list for the London Olympics. He had done his part. He’d made the Olympic A qualifying…
The runner representing the worldLast updated at 15:06 GMT Guor Marial will not be representing a country when he takes part in the men’s Olympic marathon at 11:00 BST on…
Olympics: Refugee runs for world, family walk 50km to seeafp
Marathoner is running under the Olympic flagLONDON (AP) – Smiling, Guor Marial rubbed his hand across the five Olympic rings on the sleeve of his new white jacket.He’s the Olympic m…
Marathoner is a man without a country, so he runs for the worldLONDON – The command was a simple one, the kind every 17-year-old kid hears in gym class in those hours that aren’t filled with kickball …
South Sudanese Running Olympic Marathonassociatedpress
Stateless Runner Fled War in SudanLONDON-In the athletes’ village here, Guor Marial has no pins to trade or teammates to hang with at the nearby Westfield mall. The 28-yea…
Then on August 12th, the last day of Games it was time for Guor to race against the world’s best athletes…
Guor Marial running for the Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA).Sid the Kid2010
Guor MarialSteve_C
Guor Marial in the Men’s Marathon at the Olympics 2012dezainur
Arata Fujiwara (Japan), Rui Pedro Silva (Portugal), Guor Marial (Independent Olympic Athlete), Lusapho April (South Africa), Ryan Hall & Abdihakem Abdirahman (USA) – London 2012 Men’s Marathonmattk1979
Guor was cheered on by the South Sudanese community in London.
South Sudanese fansmAL5kSUbV3qtVYpiPmVq0w
Olympic independent athlete Guor Marialmisund007
Guor MARIAL, Jose Amado GARCIAcdephotos
Which country is “IOA”?nickleics
“Which country is “IOA”?”… This photographer was clearly a little confused at who Guor was running for!
Independent Olympic Athlete Guor MarialSomething For Kate
He completed the marathon in 2 hours 19 minutes and 32 seconds.
Guor Marial (Independant Olympic Athlete) – London 2012 Men’s Marathonmattk1979
Guor came 47th out a field of over 100 athletes.
Guor MarialIbrahim_D
Marial insisted that for him the heat was “not a factor” but admitted he had been under prepared due to his last minute inclusion and the fatigue of the intense media interest in his story.
After the race Guor spoke to Sudan Tribune about the experience of running in London and what it meant to him as a refugee representing the people of South Sudan and all stateless people around the world.
Guer Marial, South Sudan’s first OlympianGuer Marial, the marathon runner who competed under the Olympic flag as he is stateless having fled the Sudanese civil war when he was 8 …
South Sudan’s first Olympic athlete captures imagination of London 2012 – Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on SudanBy Tom Law August 13, 2012 (LONDON) – Guor Marial, South Sudan’s first Olympian, has not just inspired a generation, the theme of the Lon…
In February 2013 Guor’s application to become a US citizen was finally approved:
Word that @GuorMarial will become an American citizen in two weeks. Hot damn. Read about this amazing American: http://bit.ly/marialspeaksJoshua Kors
Inspirational Friday – Celebrated with Guor Marial, Olympic marathoner from S. Sudan as he became a US citizen. Go Guor!Nicky Walker
Thank you very much for all my friends and families who came to my citizenship ceremony and those who kept me in their prayers. It was such a great experience. Also, a lot of thank you from bottom of my heart to U.S. Senator Shaheen and her staffs for all the hard work and time they put into this process. I believe it would have not been possible without their support. I feel bless to know these amazing individuals. Also, it’s an honor to be a New Hampshire and very honor to be an American. In addition, I have been known as Guor Marial for such a long time, but my name is now officially Guor Miading MiakerGuor Marial – South Sudanese Olympic Marathon Runner
Guor Marial, Sudan Refugee, Runs In The Olympics Without A Country, With A Cause http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/02/sudan-refugee-runs-withou_n_1734090.html?utm_hp_ref=good-newsBeaverton Homes
A documentary about South Sudanese athlete, Guor Marial, is being made this year. For more information see this link. Spread the word…Sudan Tribune
Guor Marial: Once A #Runner Without A Country – http://velonews.competitor.com http://www.pacepermile.com/news.php?news=89259Pace Per Mile
Ray Duckler: From marathoner to citizen to film star, Guor Marial just keeps going – Concord Monitor: Ray Duck… http://bit.ly/MUlfzXOlympics Newswire
New U.S. Elite Guor Marial Bears Lessons of Difficult Upbringing http://dlvr.it/342k69Runner’s World News
The film is being made by Bill Gallagher:
Bill Gallagher (MrBillGallagher) on TwitterThe latest from Bill Gallagher (@MrBillGallagher). Documentary Filmmaker Directing the film RUNNER WITHOUT A COUNTRY about Guor Marial, w…
And finally… Some background links on Guor Marial.
Guor Marial – Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGuor Marial (born 15 April 1984) is a South Sudanese track and field athlete. He is a Dinka tribesman. Marial competed in the men's…
5 Things You Should Know About Me: Guor Marial | NYRR http://www.nyrr.org/newsroom/nyrr-news-service/5-things-you-should-know-about-me-guor-marialKen Parker
Photos
Guor Marial outside the Olympic Village in London the day after running in the London 2012 marathon. 13 August 2012 (Tom Law/ST)
Guor Marial outside the Olympic Village in London the day after running in the London 2012 marathon. 13 August 2012 (Tom Law/ST)