The Paris 2024 silver medallist and reigning world champion in the men’s 800m, Arop set a new Canadian record and achieved the world’s fastest time in the 1000m on Sunday at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial meet in Zagreb, Croatia. Arop completed the 1000m in 2:13.13, surpassing his previous record of 2:14.35. The current world record, held by Kenya’s Noah Ngeny, has stood at 2:11.96 for 25 years.

Canadian athletes Ethan Katzberg and Jerome Blake, also Paris 2024 medallists, enjoyed notable performances in Zagreb. Katzberg, who won gold in the men’s hammer throw in Paris, finished third with a throw of 79.04m. Blake, part of the gold-winning 4x100m men’s relay team at the Games, came fourth in the 100m with a time of 10.15.

Arop’s record-setting performance boosts his momentum as he heads into the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium. He has remarked on the high level of competition in the men’s 800m, suggesting that any race could see a world record attempt. The 800m world record, set by Kenya’s David Rudisha, stands at 1:40.91.

Arop’s personal best of 1:41.20, achieved during the Paris 2024 final, places him just a hundredth of a second behind Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyoni. This time represents a 1.65-second improvement for Arop, marking a significant breakthrough in middle-distance running. At just 25 years old, Arop is now ranked as the fourth-fastest man in 800m history.

David Rudisha Emmanuel Wanyoni middle-distance running