Brandon McBride sets a Canadian record at 800 meters

Brandon McBride was looking for answers after breaking his series of three consecutive 800-meter titles at the Canadian Track and Field Championships. He had a long talk with his trainer Kurt Downes to try to understand what was wrong.

Less than two weeks later, McBride exploded to a Canadian record – and he says he can go even faster.

The 24-year-old native of Windsor, Ont., Defeated Gary Reed, 10 years old. – Metal scores Friday at the Monaco Diamond League meeting, running for a silver medal in a time of 43.20 seconds. (Watch more athletic reports on CBCSports.ca as of Saturday at 9am with the Müller Anniversary Games in London.CBC-TV will also have live coverage – Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 1pm)

The result is A year was very trying for McBride, who was separated from his longtime coach Chris Scarrow and who felt like he was out of town because of persistent injuries.

"This year has been a great transition, from coaches, to injured, to the loss of my first national title, I think," McBride told the Canadian Press in a phone interview from Monaco. "I do not think I lost a national title at the senior level, I think I was 3 for 3. So it was a kick at the ego a little bit and I felt like if I had gone, and now I feel "

McBride finished within one second behind the winner of the Nijel Amos race from Botswana (1: 42.14). Saul Ordonez, of Spain, was third in 1: 43.65.

Known for his explosive finishes, McBride finished third in the final 100 meters before moving up a gear in the final stretch.

"I felt good, the best I have ever felt in my life," said McBride. "What's crazy is that I ended up more, I cut myself and j & # 39; I had to sit down a bit and I was not right with the leader, but I think if I was right in that second position, all the time running a little faster, and it's what's so exciting. "

His feeling of Friday strongly contrasted with that from there are two weekends in Ottawa, when he was upset in his attempt to win a fourth Canadian 800 title by a promising runner. Marco Arop

"I was I was not happy with myself even though it was tactical, it was slow in the first lap, I was not happy with how my body responded to the last 100 meters, "said McBride. my coach and he has all the confidence in me, and he just put the pieces together, "said McBride. "We sat down and had a long talk and we did well this weekend."

McBride's resurgence introduces an intriguing remake with Arop at next month's NACAC championships in Toronto. The track and field event for athletes from North America, Central America and the Caribbean will be held in a prestigious event at Varsity Stadium, dubbed "Track and Field in the 6ix".

The Toronto event could be a second chapter in a nascent but friendly rivalry between McBride and Arop, 19, born in Khartoum, Sudan, but living in Edmonton

"Marco Arop ran a phenomenal race and was the best man of the day (at the Canadian Championships), "said McBride. "He's a promising talent and I think he still has a lot of things to do in him and he's going to have a long career, he's actually going to the same school as the one I graduated from (Mississippi State) and they did a great job to develop his strength and his speed is even better.

"I look forward to having two Canadians at NACAC.Two Canadians are the real thing and will argue a medal. "

McBride, two-time 800-meter NCAA champion, and Arop are Canada's first stars since Reed, who set a record in 2008 with a time of 1: 43.69 and he put on the same Monaco track, something that has not escaped McBride.

"I thought it was very interesting," said McBride. "Monaco is the best distance there is. I mean everyone knows Monaco, and everyone knows that people come here to run fast. "

Diamond League on CBC Sports

CBC Sports offers live coverage of 14 Diamond League games this season on CBCSports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. television coverage will be part of the weekend program of the Road To The Olympic Games network throughout the season.

:

• Birmingham (August 18, 3 pm ET)
• Zurich (August 30, 2 pm ET)
• Brussels (August 31, 2 pm ET)