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Peter Bol left heartbroken in Tokyo once again
For a second time, Tokyo has been unkind to Peter Bol.
Four years after he missed out on an Olympic medal by barely half a second, Bol has been knocked out of the world championships by about the same time.
This time, the crowds filled the stands and he was anything but an unknown, but the margins were just as thin and fate just as cruel.
Peter Bol had a disappointing run in his 800-metre heat.Credit: Getty Images
Bol had looked good in his heat of the 800 metres in the stifling 30 degree, night humidity of Japan National Stadium, but was swamped at the line to finish fourth in his heat in 1:45.15.
He had looked so comfortable – until he didn’t. He’d told himself to be patient, and then he wasn’t. Bol knew he had one move to make, and he hurriedly made three.
The impatience cost him a place in the semi-finals.
But the certainty of that fate could not be assured until the final heat had been run. In the heats, the first three runners go through and then the three fastest times. Until the final heat, Bol was still the third-fastest non-automatic qualifier, and a chance yet to still advance despite a poor run.
Australian star Peter Bol.Credit: Getty Images
The final heat decided it – Bol was pushed out of the qualifications and joined countrymen Peyton Craig and Luke Boyes in missing the semis.
“It was probably the most stressful championships I had, just waiting out there,” said Bol.
“Obviously [it was] a disappointing race, but [I made] a little bit of [an] error. It’s a patient game, and whoever’s the most patient always kind of comes top three, and I just didn’t have enough patience out there.
“You’ve got to be patient, you’re in the 800 and you have one move, and I made three, so making too many moves you just don’t win. You only have one move, and you got to go, and you got to come into absolute perfection, and I just misjudged it.”
The frustration for Bol is that he has had an outstanding year – he lowered the Australian record to 1:42.55 in Monaco in July this year only to run a disappointing race at the world championships.
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“Obviously there’s a bit of disappointment, not making it through to the semis, but also it was a pretty incredible season,” he said.
“I think it’s just tough to end it in a bad way, but it’s an unbelievable season compared to last year and the years before.”
Bol, a father and veteran now, is rooming with teenager Gout Gout, who makes his major debut on Wednesday night (AEST).
“I try not to tell him anything, because it’s better if you just kind of view it and how we conduct ourselves,” Bol said.
“I was running with him, in Monaco, and I said watch me like, I’m staying calm, you [still] get nervous – it’s part of the game. You still go out there and compete, so he knows what to do.”
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