Being a special envoy does that: it gives you the chance to see a Robert Capa exhibition in the heart of Budapest and then sit down with a bunch of journalists in a Mexican restaurant, chat with them and play pools.
Hours before the final of the 800 is played, Álvaro Rodríguez, who had been a magnificent middle-distance runner, talks to me about that, about the middle distance today, and about the 800 in particular, and when I ask him for a forecast, he prefers to take refuge in the data :
–According to the bookmakers, 800 is won by Marco Arop.
I take note and continue with the prospecting. In the car that takes us to the stadium, Chema Rubí, a TVE commentator, tells me:
–I see the gold between Adrián Ben and Slimane Moula, one of the two Algerians.
(Rubí risks: three hours before the final, Bet365 is offering 29 euros per euro bet on Ben’s victory).
In reality, the possibilities are wide: any of the eight applicants can win, because in theory Juantorena, Konchellah, Kipketer or Rudisha, great dominators of other times, do not shine here, there is no clear favorite here, “there are no superheroes”, it has Adrián Ben has been remembering these days, and this is how the Galician, sixth in the 2019 World Cup in Doha, fifth in the 2020 Tokyo Games, indoor European gold in this 2023, has been psyched up in recent days.
Here in Budapest, as he went rounds, he repeated to himself:
-If possible.
(…)
Yes, you can, and it almost did.
–In a few days I’ll be happy, but right now I’m depressed. You have to excuse me –Adrián Ben (25) tells us, sweaty and hyper-excited in the muggy mixed zone of the stadium: he has just finished fourth, one more step in his progress in the big championships, although that podium he so longs for has not yet appeared.
–I’m happy not to be happy, that’s fine: when I was sixth in 2019, I had left so happy. When I was fifth at the Tokyo Games, I didn’t like it that much anymore. Now I already feel more demanding with myself, and that’s okay: I want more.
Ben is an analyst in his speech, he tells us about the race, he takes us on his adventure.
He tells us exactly what has happened, and many possibilities he has been studying in recent days, but this one was not expected:
–With the coach (Arturo Martín), we have been reviewing 1,200 million possibilities. And this time I have tried to be putty, to be patient and to appear at the end. And what happened then was the worst that could happen. I have come across three rivals in a line, bumping into the pass, and I no longer knew what to do, whether to go inside or outside.
That’s the story, and that’s how I’ve seen it: the test starts at a medium pace, neither too fast nor too slow, that’s how Arturo Martín had anticipated it the day before.
The 400 is crossed in 52.68 seconds, and Ben maneuvers from behind and feels somewhat confused, because next to him is Marco Arop, the Canadian front runner whose videos I recommend you watch on YouTube.
–If we already knew that no one was going to commit suicide, but Arop was waiting for me in the lead, not so late. In any case, he was convinced that, sooner or later, Arop was going to take over.
And so it is. Arop moves in the 500, and appears in the lead in the 600: he is big but accelerates like a Mercedes, and he goes and behind, Ben looks for a hole inside, a hole that does not reach, and that is why he has a margin, he has one more gear, and he finds it on the last straight: he finishes faster than anyone, in 12.91.
“Yeah, so what?” -says-. He is of no use. She has not given me the podium.
He does not have time, he beats four opponents although he does not reach the height of the British Ben Pattison (12), as young, as long and as red-haired as Max Burgin, who was knocked out in the semifinal.
Chocolate medal: Ben signs 1m44s91, for the 1m44s83 of the elongated Pattison.
–I think I have lost a good opportunity to get on the podium. I guess in a few days I’ll be happy, but right now…
Ahead, imperial, is Marco Arop, the Canadian giant who looks like Rudisha and, like Rudisha, glides smoothly on the synthetic, it seems that he doesn’t run but he goes very fast: 1m44s24.
