29:
247:
440:, he applied for naturalization to become a U.S. citizen in 2011 and had his naturalization interview, but his application remains pending: "Technically, I was supposed to be a citizen last June, because I did everything, I did my citizen test, I did my interview, I did my fingerprint, and everything was all set. All I needed to do was go to their office and get my passport and do the ceremony. That was in June 2011, but there has been a security background check...and that's what took everything longer."
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Marial fulfilled the A-qualification standard for the marathon in
October 2011, allowing him to participate in the Olympic marathon event at the 2012 Summer Olympics. His case was called "unique" by the IOC, as prior to the games, South Sudan had yet to form a National Olympic Committee and seek full
447:
offered to allow Marial to compete as a member of the
Sudanese team, but he rejected this offer, saying, "It's not right for me to do that. It's not right for me to represent the country I refuged from." He went on to say, "If I ran for Sudan, I would be betraying my people. I would be dishonoring
866:
623:
337:, he has refused to compete under the flag of the latter, stating, "It would be betraying my people". He was one of four athletes competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics under the Olympic flag rather than that of an individual country.
1085:
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383:, at the time of the 2012 Olympics, he had not seen them in 20 years. However, he returned to South Sudan in 2013 and was reunited with his parents. Eight of his brothers and sisters were killed in the war.
740:
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In 2013, Marial became a US citizen. He competed at the 2012 Olympics using his adopted name of Marial, which was the surname of his uncle. However, he has since reverted to his birth name.
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Maker receives an "Airman's Coin" at the Coin
Ceremony February 1, 2018 outside the Pfingston Reception Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
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82:
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Maker left home at the age of seven to live with his uncle in northern Sudan. In 1994, at the age of nine, he fled from a refugee camp during the
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620:"London 2012 Olympics: South Sudan's Guor Marial allowed to compete under Olympic flag in London"
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455:. However, his travel documentation did not reach him in time, and so he could not march in the
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The IOC-executive board announced its decision on 20 July to allow Marial to participate as an
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Marial finished 47th in the marathon, with a time of 2:19:32. His personal best is 2:12:55.
367:. While 28 members of his family were killed during the conflict, he was able to escape to
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972:"From refugee to Olympian: The inspirational story of South Sudan's marathon man"
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823:
Guor Marial is a marathoner without a country, running under the
Olympic flag
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181:
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394:, after being encouraged by his gym teacher. He also competed in college at
1248:
415:(IOC), which would have allowed them to send a team and compete under the
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863:"For South Sudanese marathoner, Olympics would be the ultimate refuge"
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500:. He is currently a dental technician with the 21st Dental Squadron.
477:
in the marathon. At the opening ceremony, he was the flag-bearer for
379:
by the United States when he was 16. Though his parents survived the
212:
769:"Guor Marial: Marathon Runner Flees Sudan, Heads to London Olympics"
941:"'Lost Boy' and 2:12 Marathoner Guor Marial To Become U.S. Citizen"
326:
794:
681:"BBC Sport β Olympic marathon: Guor Marial, running for the world"
647:"documentary 'Runner' tells story of refugee who becomes Olympian"
484:
He finished with a season best of 2:22:45, coming 81st overall.
588:"One year to Rio 2016: Five global athletes' Olympic odysseys"
271:
1175:"Guor Marial at Rio2016.com (official 2016 Olympics website)"
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368:
334:
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737:"Olympian without a country won't march in opening ceremony"
586:
Reynolds, Tom; Sliney, Noel; Wright, Katie (4 August 2015).
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He began participating in track and field while attending
1307:
Independent
Olympic Athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics
521:"South Sudan refugee to run marathon in Olympic colours"
333:. Due to the civil war that saw South Sudan split from
1302:
Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer
Olympics
1297:
Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer
Olympics
348:, the country's first appearance at an Olympic Games.
839:
For South Sudan Runner, Country Comes Before
Olympics
585:
1327:
United States Air Force World Class
Athlete Program
1059:
United States Air Force World Class
Athlete Program
1025:"Former slave, two-time Olympian becomes an Airman"
498:
United States Air Force World Class Athlete Program
448:the two million people who died for our freedom."
915:"Men's Marathon β Olympic Athletics, London 2012"
907:
889:"IOC Executive Board meets ahead of London Games"
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523:. Sudan Tribune. July 22, 2012. Archived from
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829:, August 10, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012
706:"Guor Marial: An Olympian without a country"
496:on 2 February 2018. He was selected for the
996:"Rio 2016 Marathon men β Olympic Athletics"
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852:, July 20, 2012. Accessed August 12, 2012
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351:A film has been made of his life called
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708:. The Chicago Tribune. Archived from
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546:Castillo, Kaitlin (17 October 2022).
1282:South Sudanese male marathon runners
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303:(born 15 April 1984), also known as
969:
570:
552:505th Command and Control Wing News
35:2012 Summer Olympics Men's marathon
13:
668:
600:from the original on 4 August 2015
558:from the original on 7 August 2023
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443:The National Olympic Committee of
122:1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
14:
1343:
1107:
895:from the original on 28 July 2013
869:from the original on 22 July 2012
865:. Chicago Tribune. 18 July 2012.
775:from the original on 27 July 2012
743:from the original on 27 July 2012
644:
626:from the original on 22 July 2012
1292:Olympic athletes for South Sudan
1225:
1197:Olympics at Sports-Reference.com
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1123:
1066:from the original on 21 May 2020
434:. According to his interview in
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144:
27:
1332:21st-century American sportsmen
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1035:from the original on 2018-02-25
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1006:from the original on 2017-01-03
1000:International Olympic Committee
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805:from the original on 2024-01-17
787:
687:from the original on 2012-08-12
657:from the original on 2021-07-29
622:. The Telegraph. 21 July 2012.
413:International Olympic Committee
16:Sudan-born long distance runner
1287:American male marathon runners
1090:505th Command and Control Wing
1086:"Maker runs towards greatness"
698:
638:
612:
548:"Maker runs towards greatness"
539:
492:Maker became an Airman in the
371:, and then permanently to the
1:
1054:"Airman 1st Class Guor Maker"
917:. London 2012. Archived from
767:Kors, Joshua (23 July 2012).
503:
358:
1312:Iowa State University alumni
1277:South Sudanese male athletes
473:Marial was selected for the
7:
739:. USA Today. 27 July 2012.
453:Independent Olympic Athlete
10:
1348:
1317:People from Unity (state)
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1212:
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976:Tribuneindia News Service
424:permanent resident status
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683:. BBC News. 2012-07-23.
294:Updated on 7 August 2023
186:47th (2012); 82nd (2016)
130:60 kg (132 lb)
970:Service, Tribune News.
494:United States Air Force
253:United States Air Force
176:Achievements and titles
1029:Joint Base San Antonio
799:www.concordmonitor.com
392:Concord, New Hampshire
340:Maker competed at the
322:Maker competed in the
947:. February 11, 2013.
645:Press, Detroit Free.
259:Years of service
527:on November 12, 2020
469:2016 Summer Olympics
406:2012 Summer Olympics
342:2016 Summer Olympics
331:2012 Summer Olympics
285:21st Dental Squadron
43:Personal information
1238:2016 Rio de Janeiro
921:on January 28, 2013
771:. Huffington Post.
417:flag of South Sudan
411:recognition by the
33:Guor Marial in the
23:
844:2012-08-23 at the
651:Detroit Free Press
475:2016 Olympic Games
398:, where he was an
365:Sudanese Civil War
19:
1255:
1254:
1242:Succeeded by
795:"Concord Monitor"
375:. He was granted
315:athlete. He is a
301:Guor Mading Maker
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51:Guor Mading Maker
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891:. Olympic.org.
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1322:Dinka people
1249:Abraham Guem
1219:
1183:. Retrieved
1179:the original
1139:Olympics.com
1094:. Retrieved
1092:. 2022-10-17
1089:
1080:
1068:. Retrieved
1057:
1048:
1037:. Retrieved
1028:
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1008:. Retrieved
999:
990:
979:. Retrieved
975:
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955:November 22,
953:. Retrieved
944:
935:
923:. Retrieved
919:the original
909:
897:. Retrieved
883:
871:. Retrieved
857:
834:
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807:. Retrieved
798:
789:
777:. Retrieved
745:. Retrieved
714:. Retrieved
710:the original
700:
689:. Retrieved
659:. Retrieved
650:
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628:. Retrieved
614:
602:. Retrieved
591:
560:. Retrieved
551:
541:
529:. Retrieved
525:the original
491:
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459:on 27 July.
450:
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400:All-American
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262:2018βpresent
105:
1267:1984 births
1245:Lucia Moris
1233:South Sudan
1193:Guor Marial
1155:Guor Marial
1135:Guor Marial
1115:Guor Marial
925:January 20,
531:January 20,
479:South Sudan
432:citizenship
388:high school
346:South Sudan
319:tribesman.
305:Guor Marial
152:South Sudan
96:South Sudan
56:Nationality
21:Guor Marial
1261:Categories
1221:Flagbearer
1199:(archived)
1185:2018-07-22
1096:2023-08-07
1039:2018-02-24
1010:2020-12-27
981:2020-12-27
809:2024-01-17
691:2012-08-12
661:2021-07-09
504:References
430:, but not
396:Iowa State
359:Early life
223:Allegiance
113:Iowa State
72:1984-04-15
1159:Olympedia
593:bbc.co.uk
402:athlete.
381:civil war
191:Personal
161:Athletics
37:in London
1064:Archived
1033:Archived
1004:Archived
949:Archived
893:Archived
867:Archived
842:Archived
803:Archived
773:Archived
741:Archived
685:Archived
655:Archived
624:Archived
604:4 August
598:Archived
562:7 August
556:Archived
327:marathon
311:Olympic
239:Service/
171:Marathon
899:22 July
873:21 July
779:28 July
747:28 July
716:28 July
630:21 July
426:in the
329:at the
307:, is a
197:2:12:55
140:Country
1230:
1070:21 May
353:Runner
250:
241:branch
232:
149:
127:Weight
119:Height
1215:First
445:Sudan
369:Egypt
335:Sudan
324:men's
317:Dinka
167:Event
158:Sport
135:Sport
91:Sudan
87:Unity
1223:for
1072:2020
957:2023
927:2013
901:2012
875:2012
781:2012
749:2012
718:2012
632:2012
606:2015
564:2023
533:2013
344:for
282:Unit
267:Rank
193:best
66:Born
1195:at
1157:at
1137:at
1117:at
390:in
1263::
1088:.
1062:.
1056:.
1031:.
1027:.
998:.
974:.
943:.
848:,
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801:.
797:.
757:^
726:^
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649:.
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572:^
554:.
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512:^
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355:.
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74:)
1188:.
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984:.
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608:.
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98:)
70:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.