Marathoner Seeks Canadian Residency Status
Posted Friday, 3 June, 2005
By Mike Koreen -- Toronto Sun
In a perfect world, impressive new marathoner Danny Kassap will run for Canada at the 2008 Olympics. Whether the native of the violence-plagued Democratic Republic of Congo will be able to do that remains to be seen.
The Toronto resident, 22, who remained in Canada after coming to Ottawa to compete for Congo at the 2001 Francophone Games, was denied refugee status and currently has no living status in Canada.
Kassap, whose third-place time of two hours 15 minutes 13 seconds at the national championship last month in Ottawa was more than three minutes ahead of the top Canadian in the open race, met with an Immigration Canada official yesterday to apply for permanent residency status on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
"My dream is to (run for) Canada at the 2008 Olympics (in Beijing)," Kassap, who won his marathon debut (Toronto Waterfront) last year in 2:14.50 and has competed in just three marathons, said yesterday. "I feel Canadian. I've been here for four years.
"I'm very nervous (about his permanent residency application). I have to focus on my training, but sometimes I think about the other stuff and it slows me down a little bit."
Even if Kassap is not granted permanent residency status, he will not be forced to return to Congo because Canada is not sending anyone back to the dangerous African country. But Kassap needs permanent residency status to apply for Canadian citizenship down the road.
Kassap, whose first Canadian home was Toronto's Covenant House youth shelter, didn't know a word of English when he arrived here. But he has taken classes at an adult learning centre and now speaks English fairly well. Kassap has his own apartment and works at a fish-and-chips eatery.
In each marathon, Kassap has topped the 2:18.00 world championship qualifying standard. No Canadian hit that mark at the national championship -- the world qualifier.
"To make 2:18, I don't need training," said Kassap, who has had not talked with his seven siblings or parents in Congo since leaving.
Kassap has had to turn down invitations to marathons in other countries because he can't leave Canada.
"I have had stress," Kassap said. "My problem is I don't have (permanent residency) status. In Canada we have marathons, but not too many."
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