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Former Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock declared he is now “the hunter” as he questioned whether his sprint rivals can handle the pressure of Paris 2024.
British poster boy Peacock is seeking to complete a hat-trick of 100m golds at the fourth Games of his glittering career after settling for joint bronze in crowd-free Tokyo following title successes at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
The 31-year-old, who runs in the T64 heats on Sunday – a day before the final, feels he is “a man amongst boys” in the French capital due to his greater experience.
He has backed himself to register a season’s best time in front of tens of thousands of spectators at Stade de France, while throwing down the gauntlet to his main competitors.
“A lot of people seem to forget where I am and who I’ve been,” said Peacock.
“I am the only person in that race that will be contesting this gold medal for the fourth time.
“I’m almost a man amongst boys here in that sense, I am the old hand.
“This is the pressure race. This is not about times, this not about how fast people have run all year.
I wouldn't be happy leaving here with nothing. Once you've got gold, you're not looking for silvers.— Jonnie Peacock
“This is about, can you handle it? Can you handle everyone looking at you? Can you handle a stadium full of people screaming and then doing the job that matters?
“This is the big one and this is the pressure cooker. I’m not the hunted any more, I am the hunter.”
Following an exhilarating four-man photo finish in Japan, there was nothing to split Peacock and Johannes Floors, while gold went to Germany’s Felix Streng ahead of Costa Rican silver medallist Sherman Guity.
The Briton predicts a similarly intense battle in Saint-Denis and believes the bulk of expectation falls on the shoulders of reigning champion Streng and Italian Maxcel Amo Manu, the world number one.
“A lot of my competitors haven’t actually probably felt a stadium full of people so that’s something they’re going to have to deal with,” Peacock continued.
“That’s something I’ve dealt with many times before and I actually thrive.
“The two people who should have the most pressure in that sense is Felix and Maxcel. They’ve got the target on their back.
“We saw it in Tokyo, we saw how close that race was. I expect a similar thing to happen again.
“I know people in that race who consistently run their fastest times outside of championships, who consistently turn up to championships and run slower than they have all season.
“I am not that person. Provided I don’t make too many mistakes, touch wood, then I expect myself to run a season’s best.
“The question is, how many of the other guys can say the same as well? I’m intrigued. There are five of us who on any different day might win.”
Peacock, who had his right leg amputated below the knee after contracting meningitis aged five, thinks his current training levels are the best since he won the last of his six major accolades – the 2017 world championships in London.
“In terms of happiness of what I’ve achieved, I am happy,” said Peacock, who finished fifth behind Manu, Guity, Streng and Floors at last year’s worlds in Paris.
“We’ve got six golds there: two Europeans, two worlds, two Paralympics – a home win at each, too, so it’s a lovely little set.
“But we’re all greedy athletes, we always want more, so I wouldn’t be happy leaving here with nothing. Once you’ve got gold, you’re not looking for silvers.”
