Guor Marial Speaks at Concord High School

With the entire student body looking on, stepped to the podium on the front steps of .

As he looked over the crowd before beginning his speech he yelled “Crimson Tide!!” The crowd erupted in cheers.

Marial, a 2005 graduate of CHS and a 2012 Olympian proceeded to give thanks and gratitude to those people in Concord that he felt helped him achieve his recent success. He spoke of Eric Brown and Rusty Cofrin. He acknowledged Hayden Daly and “Coach Barb.” He talked of the teachers, guidance staff, coaches, and friends that helped shape his priorities and work ethic.

Before the speech he had a big hug for Myrna Vashaw, one of his first teachers at Concord High. He said that everyone in the crowd had something special inside of them that they could aspire to and achieve.

“You are no different from me, he said, you can take what you have and do many things.” He was grateful and humble.

“I left South Sudan when I was 7, Marial said, and have lived in many places since that time, but Concord is my home. The shade you are receiving from the trees can only occur because the roots are firmly planted in the ground” he said, with a sweep of his arm. It was clear that his roots are firmly planted in Concord.

Before his speech Marial met with Concord Monitor reporter Sarah Palermo and a small group of refugee students. He then visited with a few teachers in the main office of the high school. He went to the student center and spoke with old friends there and met Superintendent . He smiled and shook hands; he posed for photos and then gave his humbling tribute to the student body.

At the end of his speech he said that as he was crossing the finish line in London (after finishing 47th in the marathon), he knew he would give his bib number to Concord High. It will hang in the gym foyer in a frame alongside Tara Mounsey’s Olympic Hockey Jersey and Matt Bonner’s NBA Singlet. He said that there were many times during the race he thought of his time in Concord and all that had happened to him after leaving. When he said his final thank-you he was giving a roaring ovation.

He then went inside where had assembled the refugee and ELL population. In a much smaller and more intimate setting Guor could really tell his story to those students who could relate to him the most. As he stood before them he reflected on how lonely he was at first because he could speak no English. The audience was rapt; you could have heard a pin drop. He likened coming to America as a handful of sand let go in the ocean.

“When you let it go it disappears, but becomes part of the sea.” He reminded the students that although they may have struggles, being in America with people from all over the world is better for them in the long run than just having a small view of the world. It was awe inspiring to listen to him, a young man of 28 with such a wise view of what it means to be a true world citizen.

The students asked questions, “Why did you start running?”, “What was it like running in the Olympics”?” How did you feel after the race?” “What was your hardest class at CHS?” He answered each one with a smile and a story.

He told of walking all the way to by mistake on the day he was supposed to go to his first track practice at Memorial Field. He talked of sprinting a 400 in a relay race only to find out he had another whole lap to go in his first trackmeet. He spoke of Mr. Brown reminding him more than once that he should run track, something he had never heard of. He mentioned Mr. Crumrine, his chemistry teacher and how being in science and math classes were comforting because numbers are the same in every language.

And he spoke of his work ethic and focus as having come from being involved in organized sports. “Before I join the track team I spend a lot of time at the park playing around and not doing my homework. When I join track I met new people who gave me support and focus. I had no time for playing because my life was structured.” He spoke of the payoff hard work will get to those willing to do it.

When a student asked him if he planned to run in the 2016 Olympics, Guor said “yes, of course” but then he paused and added, “In 2020 I would like to come here and see one of you up here telling your story.” When he was finished they rushed to him asking questions and wanting pictures. He met Jane Yen, another South Sudanese refugee currently at Concord High. When I left him there he was lost amid a sea of eager faces.

All of Guor’s actions over the past months (and years for those of us who knew him) have shown him to be a kind, gentle and humble man. These qualities, along with his desire for others to share in his success were the prevailing theme in every word he spoke.

“It wasn’t about winning in the Olympics. I wasn’t running that race for myself. It was much bigger than that. Running for yourself is easy because there is no pressure. In London I was running for the whole world.”

Today at Concord High School he made everyone there feel a part of that world. Nice Race Guor!