Peter Bol’s ambition for the final stretch

Peter Bol has two years to fulfil his ambitions and fill his boots.

Peter Bol led from the front in the 800m final in Tokyo Picture: Getty Images

As Peter Bol sees it, he has until the Paris Olympics.

A mere 30 months of preparation and racing to fulfil his ambitions and fill his boots.

Should he qualify, Paris will be Bol’s third Olympics and most likely his last.

While he may have burst into the nation’s consciousness in 2021, he’s been grinding away on the circuit for the best part of a decade.

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“I’m quite happy to finish up there in Paris and come back and spend more time with my family and spend more time in Australia,” Bol told The Weekend Australian.

“I’m grateful for everything … I’ve travelled for six, seven years now, and by Paris I would be happily ready to come back home.”

Peter Bol pictured on the Sydney Opera House with fellow Olympians. Picture: Damian Shaw

That leaves the middle distance runner two-and-half years to achieve his goals.

His initial targets are the up coming major events, such as the world athletics championships in July followed just weeks later by the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Bol said he had aimed for an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games, where he came up “a bit short” in fourth place, the plan now is to make the podium in every major world event.

“We‘ve got two-and-a-half years to try and grab as many medals as we can,” Bol said.

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“There’s two major championships this year; in the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

“Then next year is the World Championships again and then the following year is Paris.

So it’s a great opportunity to be on the podium consistently up until the Olympics, which I think is important rather than focusing just on (the Olympic) Games.”

Peter Bol is content for his running career to end in Paris.

“I think what I am focused on this year is trying to get on the podium … running against the same people in the same conditions … up until Paris … so why not do it earlier?”

The 28-year-old says his “drive” has always been to “be the best”.

“It was first to be the best at school, then in the state, then in the country and now we‘ve ticked all that off, and I guess the world is the final stage,” he said.

Last year Bol broke the Australian 800m record – crossing the line in one minute 44.13 seconds – and then run his way into the hearts of the nation with his stunning heat win in Tokyo.

Not since Ralph Doubell equalled the world record while claiming gold at Mexico City in 1968 had an Australian man made an Olympics 800m final.

Bol was brave in the Olympic final but was undone by tactics. He set the pace for most of the race, but had nothing left in the tank when the finish line and podium beckoned.

“The goal was to win … we didn’t get the job done, but we’re proud of where we are,” Bol said in the moments after the Olympic final.

He may have been denied a medal but what could not be taken from Bol was a growing faith in his ability.

Peter Bol sets the pace during the Men’s 800m final in Tokyo.

While he has always been a confident person, Bol says those races in Tokyo elevated his mindset as a competitor. He now knows for certain he belongs with the top tier competitors and now “runs with the big guys.” As his confidence grows, so do the expectations.

“It’s no longer like, let’s hope we get to the final but let’s get a medal,” he says. “Like I now expect to be in the final rather than have it as a goal.”

And now he says it is all about ticking “little boxes” as well as having big dreams. He will compete at the Australian championships and then there will be the Diamond League meets, including in Birmingham on May 21, he will use those opportunities to hone his race plan.

“It‘s about continuous improvement, yes we are focusing on world championships but we are also focusing on being the best in the world too but being (the best) in all the other events like the Diamond League,” he said.

“The Diamonds Leagues matter, Australian championships matter, because I guess if you are struggling in those events you will struggle in the World Championships too.”

Peter Bol gave his all in Tokyo but just missed out on a medal.

Bol says he used to get horribly nervous before competing. He remembers shaking with nerves on the start line at an Australian championship years ago. He recalls waking with nerves at 4am before his heat at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

But now a quiet confidence has overtaken the tension.

“I think it comes down to the fact I’ve been doing this for like ten years and I’ve done the work on and off the track and so that brings confidence,” he says.

“And once you get confident, your natural demeanour (comes to the fore), which for me is quite calm and chilled, and that is what I bring to the start line.

“It all came together once I stopped worrying about races and stuff like that. I think the mentality which I took to Tokyo was simple; you‘re going to run the 800, it’s only two laps, you’ve run 800s all over the world.”

Originally published as Peter Bol’s ambition for the final stretch