Culture

Peter Bol’s Post-Race Interview After Placing Fourth In His Olympics Final Is Gold-Medal Worthy

"The whole of Australia was watching. That carried me on. I loved that part."

by Michelle Rennex  5 August 2021
Peter Bol australia interview

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In an unbelievably impressive run, Australian Olympic icon Peter Bol just lost out on a medal in the men’s 800m final at the Tokyo Olympics.

Coming in at fourth place, just 0.53 of a second away from securing the bronze medal, Bol is still the first Australian to make it to the final of the men’s 800m in 53 years.

Breaking out from the pack, Bol actually led the majority of the race in front position but was overtaken during the final bend with Kenya’s Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich taking out gold and silver, followed by Poland’s Patryk Dobek securing bronze. You can watch that moment here.

But despite walking away without a medal around his neck, Bol has undoubtedly won the hearts of the nation — a position that was only further solidified by his humble post-race interview.

Chatting to Channel 7 immediately after his run, Bol shared that he only had one regret and that was not tightening up his final 100m to medal.

“I put myself in every chance,” an exhausted Bol told Channel 7. “The only thing I regret is the last 100 — tightening up a little bit. Other than that, came here to win. That’s what I did. I tried to win.”

“We came short but… there is more to come.”

Bol also noted that while he wasn’t exactly happy with his result, he did want to thank Australia for all the support that “carried” him through the race.

“I’d be lying if I said I’m pretty happy right now,” Bol said. “The goal was to win. Still have to reflect on that.”

“At the same time, I think today, I didn’t know if I was going to win but I knew one thing for certain, that the whole of Australia was watching. That carried me on. I loved that part.”

“I’m grateful to Australia, I’m thankful to everyone in Australia, we’re human at the end of the day,” Bol ended his interview. “We inspired the whole nation. That’s the goal.”

Back at home in Perth, Peter Bol’s family and friends packed themselves into a room to cheer on their superstar. And for the rest of Australia, we sat in front of our TV screens proudly cheering on Bol — just like he assumed we would be.

Beyond the entire nation getting behind Peter Bol with immense pride, even Korir — the Kenyan racer who won gold in the men’s 800m — was impressed with the Australian’s efforts in the race.

“I didn’t have any strategy. I just thought I would try and follow and see what would happen,” Korir said after the race. “There was nobody who wanted to take the pace, so I just said I was going to control it.”

“The Australian guy, Bol, he did something good for me.”

And Bol did something good for all of Australia, too. Catch you in Paris 2024, king.

Photo Credit: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images, @georgia.griffith/Instagram