All The Way Up - Marco Langon, Raritan Track and Field Star Receives a Full Four-Year Scholarship to Villanova University

Raritan Neighbors was grateful to receive an exclusive scoop from the mother of the local sports star, Marco Langon.  He received a four-year all-expenses-paid scholarship to the first school of his choice Villanova University.  I wanted to make sure I shared in his own words as much as possible his excitement, passion and dedication to his craft as a sports professional.  We hope other Raritan Neighbors will wish him future success with this amazing opportunity and pride he brings to his family, friends, and the Raritan Borough.

Raritan Neighbors: What is the scholarship you received - i.e. title and what for exactly?

Marco Langon: I received a full-ride scholarship to the University of Villanova for track and field and cross country.      

Raritan Neighbors: What are you currently studying and why did you decide on Villanova?

Marco Langon:  I will be majoring in economics at Villanova next year and the reason I chose Villanova was that I know that I would be able to run as fast as possible at that school. Coach Marcus O'Sullivan is considered to be one of the best runners of all time and one of the greatest coaches so it would be stupid of me to not go there. There was also the fact that they are one of the best programs for distance running in the country and only getting better. They have an insane amount of Penn relay championships, national champions, sub 4 milers, and Olympians. including Marcus who is a 4-time Olympian himself and 1 of 3 people to break 4 in the mile over 100 times. I also loved the location being that it's in the northeast.

Raritan Neighbors: What do you think made yourself stand out at the school?

Marco Langon: I think it was my energy that stuck out, I'm a very confident hard-working guy who hates to lose and will do anything to succeed. I want to win and achieve my goals so bad that Marcus realized that and wanted me on the team. I think not only that but I think he sees me as a good person because if there was one thing that he was concerned about when recruiting me it was asking my coach how I was not as a runner but a human being and according to him, "I am "electrifying".

Raritan Neighbors: What is a misconception people often have about training and studying as they try to get into a school they want?

Marco Langon: What people get mixed up is happiness. I believe that there are a large number of people who see that a major is too hard or don't get into the school that they want or go play sports at a big school and just give up on their dreams. I believe in chasing your dreams no matter what anyone says and it annoys me when people say that it's too hard because at the end of the day if you want it bad enough it does not matter how hard it is. 

I also see people thinking that they have to go to the biggest best school like Harvard, and they spend too much time grinding on academics which I'm sure they don't like to do. They get so lost within themselves that they get caught up in all the crap and are really just going because they believe that that is the standard. If there is anything you want to take from that its be happy and believe in your goals because there are many people who get to college and start to think realistically which I promise will not get you anywhere but a sad life 

Raritan Neighbors: How do you keep yourself focused during COVID and just in general?

Marco Langon: I still went out and did my thing. I love living life so why would I let Covid stop it.

Raritan Neighbors: What is your favorite music?

Marco Langon: I love reggae, indie rock, rap, and dance-pop, my favorite artists -Taylor Swift or some Mobb Deep.

Raritan Neighbors: How do you wind down to relax when you are not working out?

Marco Langon: I never like to wind down. I always like to be moving and be out doing something. so I'm always with my friends doing stupid things going around, I'm playing video games, or I'm riding my skateboard around Raritan.

Raritan Neighbors: What is your career goal or path for the next five years?

Marco Langon: I want to win the Paris 2024 Olympics, win national championships in the NCAA, and become a professional runner and own a restaurant I love what I do so why wouldn't I do it for a living? I don't want to grow up because I believe that growing up consists of throwing away your dreams and being complacent little fractions at a time and you just become stuck with life and I believe that there are many people like that and if you are it's never too late to chase your dream all it takes is an undying belief in yourself and a want to do something. and also I love to have fun so why would I grow up. There were a good amount of people asking me how am I going to pay for college and what am I going to do for a living. 

I responded I'm going to be a professional runner and open up a restaurant.  Their response was "think realistically" and this was a response from teachers, friends, and even some family. 

I realized that it was a majority of people who don't dare to dream or chase after what they want. I only listened to myself and the people who really believed in me, and now I'm here...and I'm not close to stopping.

Raritan Neighbors: What did you love about living in Raritan?

Marco Langon: What I love about living in Raritan is that it's a working-class environment and just blue-collar. Definitely living there just made me who I am and helped me meet the people I know today. Our Main street I feel like is the place I grew up being I was there probably every day whether it was going to "La Tienda de Latina" and " Bagels for You", just running up and down the street or through alleyways while playing with my friends. Raritan is for sure my home and it always will be.

Raritan Neighbors: What was your parents' reaction to the news?

Marco Langon: My mom was so happy. She seemed surprised, which was a bit weird to me because I told her I would get a full ride all along. For it to become reality made her very happy because Villanova is a $74,000 dollar a year school. I would say every day that we won't have to pay... and look what happened. "If you believe you can do something, nobody is stopping you"

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