Documentary To Feature Marial’s Journey
The refugee from South Sudan ran the 2012 Olympic Marathon under the Olympic flag.
The refugee from South Sudan ran the 2012 Olympic Marathon under the Olympic flag.
Guor Marial, a Sudanese refugee who competed in the 2012 Olympic Marathon under the Olympic flag, will be featured in a documentary film, “Runner Without a Country,” announced Pamplona, Spain-based filmmaker Bill Gallagher.
The documentary, slated to be released in early 2014 will feature Marial’s life journey – from his childhood in civil war-torn Sudan and escape from a refugee camp to Marial’s settling in the United States, where he became a citizen on February 22 and is now a rising star on the marathon circuit.
“The only running Guor took part in as a child was running to get away from danger caused by the war,” says Gallagher, director of the film. “He is running to give the children of South Sudan – and refugees everywhere – hope. His life has been and continues to be one of perseverance and triumph over adversity.”
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Marial, 28, qualified for the 2012 Olympic Marathon in his first attempt at the distance, finishing the 2010 Twin Cities Marathon in two-hours, 14 minutes and 32 seconds. Despite having a U.S. green card and refugee status, he could not compete for the United States because he was not yet a U.S. citizen. Marial, who turned down an offer to run for Sudan because he felt it was not appropriate representing a country in which so many Sudanese have suffered, also did not have citizenship or a passport for recently formed South Sudan, his homeland, a country that did not yet have the infrastructure to support an Olympic Games committee and team.