Peter Bol has declared he wants to one-up his Commonwealth Games silver medal from 2022, and if Bruce McAvaney’s insights are anything to go by, he’s well on track.

Channel 7 expert McAvaney has declared Bol is running better than ever, including when he finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, as he prepares to lead the coverage of this weekend’s Athletics National Championships in Sydney, which will be streamed live and free on the channels of 7 and 7Plus.

Bol captured the nation’s attention when he stunned in Japan, proving to be the fourth-fastest man in the world over 800 metres.

But a false accusation of blood doping set his career back and meant he wasn’t at his best at the next Olympics two years ago in Paris.

It all appears in the rear-view now, though, with McAveney telling The Nightly he looks in the form of his life.

“Pete’s running, I think, better than he’s ever run, that includes when he was fourth in the Olympics,” he said.

“He’s in a brilliant spot at the moment; he’s got really strong competition, but he’s the obvious favourite.

“He’s really focused on trying to win that Commonwealth Games gold medal. He was second four years ago.

“It’s very hard, the Commonwealth Games. In most middle-distance track events, you think about the Kenyans, and they are incredibly hard to overcome.

“Britain also has very strong middle-distance runners, so he’s going to have his hands full in Glasgow. But I think he’s tracking so well.”

McAvaney said that while dealing with the allegations and subsequent fallout must have been difficult, Bol should be proud of how he had rebounded.

“For him personally, it was so frustrating, and he must have been so angry. But he’s been able to pull himself out and get back to where he was in that Olympic year of 2021, and I think he’s even running better,” he said.

“He’s a wonderful guy and a mentor, a gentleman who a lot of athletes look up to, and I think he absolutely relishes that responsibility and takes it seriously, but with a smile.”

Bol started the year at his home meet by clocking one minute 43.89 seconds - the fifth time he has broken the 1:44 barrier in the past 12 months.

He also heads into the weekend at Sydney Olympic Park off the back of finishing fourth at last month’s world indoor championships in Poland.

After winning his heat and semi-final, Bol ran a 1:45.14 in the final, setting an Oceanian short track record.

However, he fell short of his first world medal on the final lap behind US sensation Cooper Lutkenhaus.

And he now has Commonwealth gold on his mind.

“The goal is always to do one better, and at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, I was second,” Bol said.

“Records get taken, but medals you keep them forever.

“This weekend is not really about times. What’s important now is to secure your spot at the Commonwealth Games.

“Whether it’s fast, whether it’s slow, just be ready to make the moves and win. I started this season with the fastest time I’ve ever run in Australia, so I’m physically in great shape, mentally in great shape, and the rest takes care of itself.

“Being here for another national championship … we go through the domestic season, and you can win, you can lose, but whoever takes it here is the king.”

Bol runs the 800m heat from 5.47pm on Saturday.