PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: Australian runner Peter Bol’s coach Justin Rinaldi offers emotional interview after 800m

Peter Bol’s long-time coach has broken down in an emotional interview when asked about the toll of the runner’s drug ban ordeal on his Olympic build-up.

Bol crashed out of the 800m in a disappointing early end to his Paris campaign in a repechage overnight after finishing seventh in a repechage earlier in the week.

It comes almost two years after he was slapped with a provisional suspension for testing positive to the banned substance EPO.

Bol has since had the ban lifted, but the 800m specialist had not recaptured the form that took him to a fourth-place in the event at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

“It’s hard. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through that,” Justin Rinaldi said, fighting back tears after he was asked about the ordeal on Channel 9.

“We did nothing wrong. It’s hard.”

Asked if Bol knew the Australian public had his support, Rinaldi said: “He does”.

“Through this whole process there was lots of terrible comments about him, but most of the comments were amazing and we really appreciate all the support he got,” he said.

“It helped him get to this point here today, because without the support, we wouldn’t be here for sure.”

Earlier, Bol said he is proud of his Paris Olympics campaign. The 30-year-old needed a top-two finish in the second-chance repechage to make it through to the semifinal.

“When I crossed the line, I was actually pretty proud of myself for that race,” he said.

“I gave it the best I could today, executed my race, these guys were just better today.

“Obviously I missed a bit of training and all that stuff but I’m happy with how I ran.”