Stateless refugee to race in marathon under IOC flag
Source: AFP |
August 12, 2012, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Stateless refugee Guor Marial will compete in today's men's marathon under the Olympic flag, while his family in South Sudan will trudge 50 kilometers to watch him on the nearest television. The 28-year-old has not seen his relatives since fleeing as a child in 1993, when the only time he ever ran was to save his life.
Marial was born in what was then a war-torn part of Sudan. He fled to Egypt and then the United States after 28 members of his family were killed in the conflict. He has a US resident's permit but no passport.
Although South Sudan achieved independence last year, it does not yet have a national Olympic committee, and in any case, Marial has no passport. He found out just a week before the Games that he could compete under the rare Independent Olympic Athlete label.
"I feel so fortunate to be here," he said. "I wanted to take this opportunity to raise awareness of refugees all around the world and all people who do not have a country. And the people of South Sudan especially.
"To run under the Olympic flag is a great feeling. Representing the five rings is the best. So I'm representing the whole world."
Marial arrived in the United States in 2001 and now lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he largely trains alone.
Back in South Sudan, his family has no electricity so will walk to the city of Panrieng to see how he gets on in London.
"They will be watching me on TV. The nearest city is about 30 miles. At the moment in South Sudan it's the rainy season so there's no vehicle," he said. "There's no official road where a car or vehicle can go to the village so they will walk."
Marial said any medal he won would be for the IOC before South Sudan. "Right now I am an athlete for the IOC and not for any country," he said.
The IOC has also fixed him up with a new pair of racing shoes and some kit including a plain white jacket with the Olympic rings and IOA on the right arm.
Marial was born in what was then a war-torn part of Sudan. He fled to Egypt and then the United States after 28 members of his family were killed in the conflict. He has a US resident's permit but no passport.
Although South Sudan achieved independence last year, it does not yet have a national Olympic committee, and in any case, Marial has no passport. He found out just a week before the Games that he could compete under the rare Independent Olympic Athlete label.
"I feel so fortunate to be here," he said. "I wanted to take this opportunity to raise awareness of refugees all around the world and all people who do not have a country. And the people of South Sudan especially.
"To run under the Olympic flag is a great feeling. Representing the five rings is the best. So I'm representing the whole world."
Marial arrived in the United States in 2001 and now lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he largely trains alone.
Back in South Sudan, his family has no electricity so will walk to the city of Panrieng to see how he gets on in London.
"They will be watching me on TV. The nearest city is about 30 miles. At the moment in South Sudan it's the rainy season so there's no vehicle," he said. "There's no official road where a car or vehicle can go to the village so they will walk."
Marial said any medal he won would be for the IOC before South Sudan. "Right now I am an athlete for the IOC and not for any country," he said.
The IOC has also fixed him up with a new pair of racing shoes and some kit including a plain white jacket with the Olympic rings and IOA on the right arm.
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