Peter Bol ran a wonderfully courageous race, mounting the gait successful the men's 800m last before slipping to fourth - a show that has won him galore fans.
Among them was the golden medallist, Kenya's Emmanuel Korir. Bol took the pb erstwhile the gait was slack, arsenic his manager had instructed, but couldn't rather clasp connected arsenic Korir, chap Kenyan Ferguson Rotich and Poland's Patryk Dobek surged to the medals.
Bol was the runner who had the guts to dictate presumption connected the biggest stage, adjacent if helium didn't yet prevail.
"I didn't person immoderate strategy," said Korir. "I conscionable thought I would effort and travel and spot what would happen.
"There was cipher who wanted to instrumentality the pace, truthful I conscionable said I was going to power it. The Australian guy, helium did thing bully for me."
While Bol missed an Olympic medal, helium had already made past by being successful the final; Australia's archetypal contender successful the contention for 53 years. The 27-year-old did himself large recognition and was lavished with praise.
"Peter Bol, Take a bow. Bold race, forced into the gait setter. Held connected truthful bloody long!! Brilliant 4th place," Paralympics athletics icon Kurt Fearnley wrote connected Twitter.
Australian canoe golden medallist Jess Fox wrote: "Is Peter Bol a fable oregon what!!! Omg what a race, had maine screaming. So close!!! Gutsy effort."
Former Socceroos skipper Craig Foster wrote: "Seeing you tally your bosom retired successful greenish and golden gives large anticipation for the Australia we cognize we tin be."
Bol lamented his tally successful the last straight. There was a wide infinitesimal wherever helium buckled, realising that the medals were gone, yet dug heavy to bent connected the fourth.
"I enactment myself successful with each chance. The lone happening I regret is the past 100m tightening up a small bit," Bol said post-race.
"Other than that, I came present to win. That's what I did, I tried to win. We came short, but determination is much to come.
"I'd beryllium lying if I said I'm beauteous blessed close now. The extremity was to win, inactive person to bespeak connected that. At the aforesaid time, I deliberation today, I didn't cognize if I was going to win, but I knew 1 happening for definite that the full of Australia was watching. That carried maine on. I loved that part.
"I'm grateful to Australia, I'm thankful to everyone successful Australia. We're quality astatine the extremity of the day. We inspired the full nation. That's the goal."
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