Peeters with one foot on plane

ATHLETICS / OLYMPICS

TORI Peeters is half a step away from Tokyo.

The former Otago javelin thrower was provisionally named in the 15strong Athletics New Zealand’s Olympic squad yesterday.

Peeters (26) must throw a distance of 62m or further at specified meetings in Australia before the end of April to keep her spot in the team.

Late last month, she threw a season’s best of 59.25m in Brisbane.

However, she has surpassed the distance once before.

In February last year, she threw 62.04m in Sydney.

It was a personal best and New Zealand record.

Originally from Gore, Peeters studied in Dunedin and competed for Taieri.

She moved north to take a job as the coordinator of the sporting excellence programme at St Peter’s College (Cambridge) in 2018.

Peeters now throws for the Hamilton City Hawks club.

She has previously represented New Zealand at the Oceania Championships and World University Championships.

The remainder of the team consists of a mix of established and emerging talent.

In shot putter Valerie Adams and 1500m runner Nick Willis the team has two fourtime Olympians who have five medals between them.

Shot putter Tom Walsh is also a strong medal contender, having won bronze in Rio and since put on multiple top performances on the world stage.

Joining Willis in the 1500m will be Sam Tanner, a youngster who has impressed with some blistering times this summer.

Camille Buscomb will run in both the 5000m and 10,000m, while Zane Robertson and Malcolm Hicks will both compete in the marathon.

Quentin Rew has named in the race walk.

In the field, new New Zealand high jump recordholder Hamish Kerr will go to his first Games, having debuted at the World Championships in 2019.

Hammer throwers Lauren Bruce and Julia Ratcliffe are both attending, as are shot putters Jacko Gill and MaddisonLee Wesche, while Connor Bell will compete in the discus.

The Games, which were rescheduled from last year due to Covid19, are scheduled to begin on July 23.

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