Great Britain's Paralympian Jonnie Peacock insists 'the fire is back' after Tokyo Games disappointment
BySportsbeat
Updated 27/03/2023 at 14:29 GMT
The double Paralympic gold medallist in the T44 men's 100m was speaking at the launch of Paralympics's new initiative Every Body Moves. The 29-year-old from Cambridge won back-to-back gold medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016, before sharing a dead-heat bronze in Tokyo with Johannes Floors. So there is double motivation for the T64 sprinter, who is relishing the return of packed crowds in Paris.
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Jonnie Peacock insisted 'the fire is back' as he prepares to regain his Paralympic crown.
The 29-year-old from Cambridge won back-to-back gold medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016, before sharing a dead-heat bronze in Tokyo with Johannes Floors.
So there is double motivation for the T64 sprinter, who is relishing the return of packed crowds in Paris for successive summers.
And Peacock, who was speaking at the launch of ParalympicsGB's new initiative Every Body Moves powered by Toyota, admitted some of his spark had deserted him in the lead up to Tokyo.
"Tokyo was honestly not my best Games," said Peacock.
"My preparation was hampered with some blade issues and the lockdown made it even worse.
"From then on, it's all about re-finding that motivation. That's what it gave me. Tokyo fired me up again.
"I think it was a situation where I was just going through the motions and that's wrong.
"There was definitely a lot of motivation before, but it re-sparked everything, turning the engine back on.
"But the fire is back. The last two years were all about trying to work as hard as possible and that's all it's going to be for the next 18 months."
The French capital plays host to the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in July, the first time all of the world's leading para-athletes have convened in front of fans since the pandemic.
"Tokyo was weird," admitted Peacock. "As athletes, we will all tell you it doesn't really matter if there's a crowd there or not.
"Obviously, we're there to do our job, but you also feed off the crowd.
"That adrenaline, that fire is all going to help. It's just going to be a good spirit in Paris. I think everyone missed that in Tokyo and it's going to be a big party, fingers crossed."
The Charnwood AC athlete is optimistic of hitting top stride by the time the Games rolls around, not least in light of his characteristically sunny disposition off the track.
Peacock said: "I'm feeling really good. I'm positive. I think I'm just happy in life which is always helpful. I'm very grateful to do sport; I'm very aware of that all the time.
"We're really lucky to be full-time athletes. People are coming down here for an event today to try out hobbies and sports, and it's basically my full-time job.
"So I know how lucky I am every day. I try and tell myself that and enjoy all the training sessions as much as I can."
Peacock and fellow Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft were present at the launch of Every Body Moves powered by Toyota on Monday
Every Body Moves is an evolution of the award-winning Parasport powered by Toyota platform, which has grown to become the nation's largest online destination connecting people with thousands of inclusive sporting and physical activities.
And Peacock was delighted to support the new initiative, which aims to bring the countless benefits of sport to as many people as possible.
Peacock said: "For me, if anything sport is much more about mental health than physical health, especially in the community.
"It's everything. If you move you get happy. Every Body Moves is just about happiness. It's about getting people involved in sport and giving everyone something accessible to them.
"It doesn't matter who you are or what you're into. That's the whole point of this. On the Every Body Moves website there is something for everyone."
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