Olympic Games 2024: Peter Bol’s horror start in Paris as star set to fight for semifinal spot in repechage
Perth’s Peter Bol has had a horror start to his Olympic campaign, finishing 7th in his 800m heat at the Paris Games.
The 30-year-old, who became a household name when he finished fourth in Tokyo, was in a strong position leading into the final 100m, having been near the front of the pack for much of his heat.
When it became clear he would not finish in the top three, required for automatic qualification, Bol watched on as runners past him, finishing with a time of 1:47.50.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.It was not the triumphant return Bol would have hoped for after a botched drug test threw his preparation for Paris into turmoil.
His Olympic dream is not over yet, as he gets a second chance to qualify for the semi-finals in the repechage.
He will join fellow Aussie Joeseph Deng, who finished 6th in an earlier heat, in the do-or-die race on Thursday (AWST).
Australia’s Peyton Craig finished third in a time of 1:45.81 in his heat to automatically qualify for the semifinal.
Bol’s heat was won by Algeria’s Djamel Sedati while Great Britain’s Elliot Giles and the United States’ Hobbs Kessler finished second and third to advance.
