Rising sophomore Marco Arop has shadowed former Bulldog Brandon McBride's career with the two chasing medals and records together.
Canadian Confidence: Arop Looks to McBride as Mentor
November 28, 2018 | Track & Field, HailStateBEAT
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Fresh off a runner-up finish in the 800m at the NCAA Championships, rising sophomore Marco Arop prepared to toe the line with the face of the event in his home nation of Canada. Meanwhile Brandon McBride, who won two SEC and two NCAA championships while running for Mississippi State, was desperately searching for his lost spikes.
McBride didn't know if he'd even be able to compete until just before the gun went off, but the five-time All-American managed to locate his shoes and step up to the line in time.
Despite their similar roads from the Great White North to the Magnolia State, the two had never faced each other on the track before the semifinals in Ottawa, Ontario, the day before.
"I've watched him race plenty of times," Arop said. "It was a surreal feeling to think he was so far ahead of me and then to finally actually be able to race against him. It was a huge boost to my confidence just even being in that field." Arop had clocked the top time in the semifinals after breaking McBride's MSU freshman record at the NCAA Championships, but McBride remained the favorite. With Olympic experience under his belt, the professional held the top time by a Canadian in 2018 entering the championships.
The Bulldog pair was joined by a third MSU representative as well. Rising junior Kenya Small had posted a personal best and the No. 4 time in the semifinals to force his way into the conversation.
"Lining up with those guys was really, really special, and seeing all of us make it to the final and perform in the final was really special," McBride said. "We all have a great relationship athletically and a solid friendship."
For Arop, it was a moment of pride before the gun went off and the three friends became competitors again.
"I had that feeling the night before, just looking at the heat sheet I thought this is pretty cool," Arop said. "There was obviously not another event with people from the same school, and to have three athletes in the same event from the same school was awesome."
Arop stunned some in the crowd that day as he held on over the final 200m to edge out McBride for the Canadian title, the gap between the two a mere 0.27 seconds. Not too bad for a kid who thought he'd be playing basketball in college and didn't transition to track and field until his junior year of high school.
McBride's notoriety in Canada helped lead Arop toward MSU early on. Arop watched McBride compete at the 2016 championships where, just like Arop, McBride won his home nation's crown after finishing second at the NCAA's earlier that year.
"That was one of the first names that came up, and, yeah, it was recognizable," Arop said. "It was a factor, but it wasn't the biggest factor in coming here. Mississippi State was one of the only Division I schools that actually gave me an offer. Add the fact that Brandon McBride went to that school, it was almost a given."
The two quickly built a friendship as McBride became a guiding figure for Arop. The elder Bulldog often returns to Starkville to train in the warmer weather and takes time to talk with the new generation of MSU athletes.
"I know he had it a lot tougher than I did because he essentially did the same path that I took except there was nobody ahead of him to follow," Arop said. "I definitely have it a lot easier than he did. He has given me some advice on World Championships and Olympics and some media advice. I need those things."
McBride takes great pride in being an ambassador for the Bulldogs wherever he goes. It can be tough because he tries to stay focused on what is in front of him rather than reminisce on his college years, but he still wears his State gear and adidas, his sponsor on the professional circuit, sends him clothing in MSU colors.
After the Canadian championships, many began to speculate that Arop could be the future of the 800m for the country on the international stage. Arop knows he still has a long way to go. He said any other day, he would expect McBride to cross the line first, but added that he may have been able to help push McBride to break the national record in the event the following week.
"He stepped up to the challenge when all of those articles came out," Arop said. "If he keeps doing his thing and I keep doing my own thing, eventually we're going to keep meeting up in races. I think it'll be best for both of us and also all of the Canadians who love watching us run."
To close out their summers, the two met once more, this time as teammates representing Canada in the NACAC Games in Toronto, Ontario. Once more it came down to a kick on the bell lap.
Puerto Rican Wesley Vazquez led entering the final turn with McBride on his heels and Arop close behind. McBride made his move coming out of the turn and pulled away down the straightaway. As he has in so many ways, Arop followed his mentor's footsteps and ran Vazquez down over the final 100m. In front of a raucous home crowd calling them home, McBride won gold, and Arop took silver.
"That was an incredible feeling," Arop said. "Both being from the same school and the same country on an international stage, going one and two. It couldn't have gone better honestly."
Arop still has plenty of goals to chase down while in Starkville. He'd like to make the Olympics one day and the records are still in front of him. McBride holds a 0.82-second hold on the Bulldogs' indoor school record and a 0.75-second lead outdoors. However, all of that comes second to chasing down what he narrowly missed in Oregon this year.
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Fresh off a runner-up finish in the 800m at the NCAA Championships, rising sophomore Marco Arop prepared to toe the line with the face of the event in his home nation of Canada. Meanwhile Brandon McBride, who won two SEC and two NCAA championships while running for Mississippi State, was desperately searching for his lost spikes.
McBride didn't know if he'd even be able to compete until just before the gun went off, but the five-time All-American managed to locate his shoes and step up to the line in time.
Despite their similar roads from the Great White North to the Magnolia State, the two had never faced each other on the track before the semifinals in Ottawa, Ontario, the day before.
"I've watched him race plenty of times," Arop said. "It was a surreal feeling to think he was so far ahead of me and then to finally actually be able to race against him. It was a huge boost to my confidence just even being in that field." Arop had clocked the top time in the semifinals after breaking McBride's MSU freshman record at the NCAA Championships, but McBride remained the favorite. With Olympic experience under his belt, the professional held the top time by a Canadian in 2018 entering the championships.
The Bulldog pair was joined by a third MSU representative as well. Rising junior Kenya Small had posted a personal best and the No. 4 time in the semifinals to force his way into the conversation.
"Lining up with those guys was really, really special, and seeing all of us make it to the final and perform in the final was really special," McBride said. "We all have a great relationship athletically and a solid friendship."
For Arop, it was a moment of pride before the gun went off and the three friends became competitors again.
"I had that feeling the night before, just looking at the heat sheet I thought this is pretty cool," Arop said. "There was obviously not another event with people from the same school, and to have three athletes in the same event from the same school was awesome."
Arop stunned some in the crowd that day as he held on over the final 200m to edge out McBride for the Canadian title, the gap between the two a mere 0.27 seconds. Not too bad for a kid who thought he'd be playing basketball in college and didn't transition to track and field until his junior year of high school.
McBride's notoriety in Canada helped lead Arop toward MSU early on. Arop watched McBride compete at the 2016 championships where, just like Arop, McBride won his home nation's crown after finishing second at the NCAA's earlier that year.
"That was one of the first names that came up, and, yeah, it was recognizable," Arop said. "It was a factor, but it wasn't the biggest factor in coming here. Mississippi State was one of the only Division I schools that actually gave me an offer. Add the fact that Brandon McBride went to that school, it was almost a given."
The two quickly built a friendship as McBride became a guiding figure for Arop. The elder Bulldog often returns to Starkville to train in the warmer weather and takes time to talk with the new generation of MSU athletes.
"I know he had it a lot tougher than I did because he essentially did the same path that I took except there was nobody ahead of him to follow," Arop said. "I definitely have it a lot easier than he did. He has given me some advice on World Championships and Olympics and some media advice. I need those things."
McBride takes great pride in being an ambassador for the Bulldogs wherever he goes. It can be tough because he tries to stay focused on what is in front of him rather than reminisce on his college years, but he still wears his State gear and adidas, his sponsor on the professional circuit, sends him clothing in MSU colors.
I can really say that a lot of young Canadians, especially in the mid-distance field, they look up to a lot of us," McBride said. "After myself, Marco and Kenya being in the national spotlight, a lot of kids want to go to Mississippi State. Of course, Mississippi State doing so well down south in the U.S. and on the NCAA collegiate level it speaks volumes about what's going on and how special it is to be down there.
After the Canadian championships, many began to speculate that Arop could be the future of the 800m for the country on the international stage. Arop knows he still has a long way to go. He said any other day, he would expect McBride to cross the line first, but added that he may have been able to help push McBride to break the national record in the event the following week.
"He stepped up to the challenge when all of those articles came out," Arop said. "If he keeps doing his thing and I keep doing my own thing, eventually we're going to keep meeting up in races. I think it'll be best for both of us and also all of the Canadians who love watching us run."
To close out their summers, the two met once more, this time as teammates representing Canada in the NACAC Games in Toronto, Ontario. Once more it came down to a kick on the bell lap.
Puerto Rican Wesley Vazquez led entering the final turn with McBride on his heels and Arop close behind. McBride made his move coming out of the turn and pulled away down the straightaway. As he has in so many ways, Arop followed his mentor's footsteps and ran Vazquez down over the final 100m. In front of a raucous home crowd calling them home, McBride won gold, and Arop took silver.
"That was an incredible feeling," Arop said. "Both being from the same school and the same country on an international stage, going one and two. It couldn't have gone better honestly."
Arop still has plenty of goals to chase down while in Starkville. He'd like to make the Olympics one day and the records are still in front of him. McBride holds a 0.82-second hold on the Bulldogs' indoor school record and a 0.75-second lead outdoors. However, all of that comes second to chasing down what he narrowly missed in Oregon this year.
I think if I can get an NCAA title and help my school win a championship, that would be the best way to end the season," Arop said. "As for Brandon's records, I don't really set that as a goal. I feel if it comes, it'll come, but if I just focus on what I need to help my school win a championship, that might be a possibility.
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