Whether or not HOKA Athlete Ambassador Gabriel Jarquin of Toronto is racing marathons on the worldwide stage, advocating for HIV consciousness or serving the 2SLGBTQ+ neighborhood, his authenticity and drive set him aside. For Jarquin, 2024 was a 12 months of studying, progress and relentless pursuit—in each his operating and his advocacy work. As he enters 2025 with huge ambitions and a dedication to creating an affect, Jarquin continues to encourage others to embrace their true selves and run—each actually and metaphorically—towards their goals.
Rising up in Kitchener, Ont., because the son of refugees from Nicaragua, Jarquin discovered energy in operating from a younger age, however his relationship with the game has additionally confronted challenges. After stepping away from operating throughout a tough interval in his 20s, he rediscovered his love for operating and reworked his life. “After I began operating once more as an grownup, I swore I’d by no means run a marathon,” Jarquin recollects. “I believed the gap was loopy and pointless. But right here I’m—nonetheless operating them.”
2024: a 12 months of progress
In 2024, Jarquin tackled two key marathons: Boston and Valencia. Boston, with its iconic course, didn’t go as deliberate. “I swung and missed,” he says. Valencia offered its personal challenges. “I gave in to my fears,” he displays. “Whereas I nonetheless ran a good race, it jogged my memory that I must work on confidence and overcoming my concern of failure.” Regardless of the struggles, these experiences have fuelled his drive for progress and set the stage for his 2025 targets.
Advocacy and neighborhood consciousness
Jarquin’s affect goes far past the operating world. Since sharing his HIV standing publicly in 2021, he has change into a strong advocate for destigmatizing HIV/AIDS. “Being open and weak helped me heal whereas additionally educating others,” he explains. His journey led to his function as a nationwide ambassador for the Canadian Basis for AIDS Analysis (CANFAR), a company devoted to ending the HIV epidemic in Canada.
However Jarquin’s activism doesn’t cease there. As a former president of the Pleasure and Remembrance Affiliation, he performed a pivotal function in Toronto’s annual Pleasure & Remembrance Day Run, certainly one of Canada’s most celebrated 2SLGBTQ+ occasions. “In my ultimate 12 months, we surpassed $3 million in whole fundraising for charities—an enormous accomplishment and a second I’m extremely happy with,” he shares.
In 2025, Jarquin’s affect will develop additional as he joins the Pleasure Toronto board of administrators. “Volunteerism has given me function, a solution to give again and a chance to develop,” he says. He appears to be like ahead to serving to form one of many world’s largest Pleasure celebrations whereas persevering with to champion inclusivity and consciousness.
Consistency and confidence in 2025
Trying forward, Jarquin’s operating targets for 2025 centre on two iconic programs: Boston and Berlin. “Boston will probably be my first main race of the 12 months—my fifth time on that course,” he says. “The problem of Boston retains pulling me again. There’s really nothing like crossing the end line on Boylston Avenue, even in the event you’ve hit the wall within the Newton Hills and crawled your solution to the top.”
For Berlin, a well-known favorite, Jarquin is raring to capitalize on his expertise. “I’m a repeat offender with these two programs,” he jokes. “That familiarity is one thing I plan to make use of to my benefit.” Past particular person races, Jarquin plans to concentrate on consistency and mileage. “I’ve all the time been a low-mileage runner, however I believe to get the place I wish to go, I must run extra. Plus, it’s a terrific excuse to do extra of what I like.”
Flying excessive with HOKA
As a HOKA Athlete Ambassador, Jarquin finds deep alignment between his values and the model’s ethos. “HOKA has been an enormous supporter of my journey,” he says. “We’ve been storytellers collectively and collaborated on community-focused occasions. We share a perception in encouraging individuals to maneuver—no matter that appears like for them—and exhibiting up as their genuine selves.”
For Jarquin, representing HOKA is about greater than efficiency. “HOKA takes satisfaction in celebrating individuality, which resonates with me deeply. Having the ability to put on the model whereas coaching and as a part of my self-expression is a large plus. It even helps me pack lighter, which, as somebody continually on the go, is not any small factor!”
He additionally embraces HOKA’s slogan, “Fly Human Fly,” as a private mantra. “It’s a reminder that our potential is limitless. Each time I lace up my HOKAs, I carry that mindset with me.” The partnership with HOKA has been instrumental in supporting Jarquin’s mission. “With a shared imaginative and prescient of pushing boundaries and innovation,” he says, “HOKA has been clear from the start that they wish to come alongside for the experience.”
This story is a collaboration between Canadian Operating and HOKA Canada.