Peter Bol reveals Australian race comeback plans for Sydney, Perth after false claims

Peter Bol was put through hell earlier this year when he was provisionally suspended for a purported failed drug test, before being cleared. The man himself says he wouldn’t change anything.

Peter Bol has declared he is a “dangerous man” after overcoming the false drug test scandal and preparing for a home comeback in Sydney next February.

The 29-year-old confirmed he will delay his return to the track for three months, and then race in Sydney and his hometown of Perth before heading overseas to finalise his preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“A man that worries about nothing is a dangerous man, and I have no worries,” Bol said.

“I’ve been through the toughest of times, I know who is on my side and who is backing me.

“I’m going to go out there and run free, and that’s a dangerous man who can go out there and leave everything behind and just focus on the track.”

Bol was put through hell earlier this year when he was provisionally suspended by Athletics Australia for a purported failed drug test, but his B sample returned an atypical sample and he was cleared Sport Integrity Australia to return to the track in August.

Remarkably, the 800-metre star says he would not change the experience if given the choice.

Peter Bol has revealed his return to the track will be in Sydney in February 2024.

“Very tough times, thankfully we got through it, but it’s times you needed to go through, I wouldn’t take anything back,” Bol said.

“It’s the storm you need to go through to be resilient enough to prepare for what’s to come, which is the Paris Olympic Games.”

And fears that Bol would skip a home meet and complete his preparations overseas have been allayed by the man himself.

Suited up and posing for photos with acting superstar Regé-Jean Page, tennis legend Dylan Alcott and a bevy of models at an event for luxury watchmakers Longines in Sydney, Bol said he would be back in the Harbour City soon.

“It’s what we love doing, you’re so free when you’re running, and running at home,” he said.

“I’ve got two national titles in Sydney, to come back and run in Sydney is going to be unreal, it’s going to be emotional. Then I’ll run in Perth.

“The fans, this whole country has had my back and it’s nice to come here and give them something back, especially the kids.

Athletics star Peter Bol (far right) at a Longines event with actor Rege-Jean Page, Indigenous artist Otis Hope Carey, model Sarah Ellen and former Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott.

“I missed out on nationals this year, so to try to get my national title back is the motivation.

“We were looking at the calendar, I’ve taken two months off with everything that happened this year to rethink everything and have a break.

“I got back to training, naturally I don’t think I’ll be in the shape I want to be in early on. I’d love to compete earlier on, the season has started now, but we’ve also just finished the World Champions and the European season so January would be great, but I’m going to aim for February.

“I’m playing the long game. You get tempted to train hard and return for January, but the Olympics are in July, we’re not trying to win Olympic medals in February, you don’t win them then.

“You’re trying to be on your B-game and just trying to be consistent.

“I’m not planning to lose on my B-game either. I won’t ever start a race I don’t think I can win, every single time I’ve started a race, been on that line – whether I’ve won or not – I’ve believed I could do it.”

The Tokyo Olympics finalist returned to the track from his suspension in August at the World Championships in Budapest but was shockingly eliminated in the first round.

Peter Bol is ready to return to the track. Picture: Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Peter Bol has his eyes on the Paris Olympics. Picture: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

“My worst day was running at the World Championship and getting knocked out in the heat, that was tough because I knew I was in shape,” Bol said.

“Not to be able to perform at the World Championships, at the highest level of our sport, it’s really hard to make peace with. That’s why I needed some time off, just to reevaluate, and you make yourself a promise that you’re not going to let that happen again.

“We’re not amateurs anymore, we’ve been there, so there’s no reason to go out there and underperform.”

And Bol knows that a podium finish in Paris will have lasting implications.

“More so outside of the track, the impact it would have on the community and on Australia because it’s such a big story,” he said.

“It’s not only a medal for yourself, it’s a medal for your family, for your community and for Australia.

“I used to have a bracelet that said ‘Same track, same distance, different location’.

“I’m not expected to run anything more than I’ve trained for my whole life, so I’ll be ready.”

While Bol was unable to compete, his training partner Joseph Deng broke his Australian 800-metre record by .01 of a second. Deng ran 1 minute 43.99 secs in Lyon, France in July, besting Bol’s historic 2022 run of 1.44 in Paris.

“We always said to be the best, you’ve got to train with the best,” Bol said.

“We’re not racing to be the best in Australia, we’re training to be the best in the world and when it comes to the Olympic Games it’s not who is fastest on time, it’s who has it together physically, mentally, mind body and spirit all together. And I always back myself on those big days.”

Originally published as Peter Bol reveals Australian race comeback plans for Sydney, Perth after false claims