Rio enhances Tokyo drive
ATHLETICS: Tori Peeters plans to watch quite a bit of the Olympics in the coming weeks.
One because she is interested, but more importantly in search of even more inspiration.
The 22-year-old Southland javelin thrower has a long-term goal of competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Peeters is a two-time national champion and has her sights on sport’s pinnacle in Tokyo.
‘‘When you see Val [Adams] and Tom [Walsh] and how well they are doing at the moment on the world stage it is motivating,’’ Peeters said.
‘‘Also Eliza McCartney, she is outstanding. It is great to have someone like that to aspire to, she well and truly deserves her spot in the Olympics. Hopefully she does well because it is very motivating.’’
Peeters holds the New Zealand senior women’s record at 55.14m and expects she would need to get to about 61m or 62m.
She is aware it will take patience to get to where see hopes to be.
Already that has been patience has been tested a little when last season was cut short because of a stress fracture in her back.
But the former St Peters College pupil in Gore is not about to let that blip in her journey put her off.
Peeters says javelin throwers generally reach their peak their late 20s early 30s.
‘‘I’m only young, I’ve got years ahead of me. The finetuning of the technique takes years, those little fine things you do manage to fine tune, they can add metres when you get it right.
‘‘You’ve got to be patient and it’s not going to happen overnight.’’
While the Olympics is the dream the short term focus is preparing on the season head which for her will start in November.
Peeters hopes to get back into the throwing groove and head to the World University Games next year.
She attended last year’s World University Games where she headed in ranked in the 20s but finished sixth.
‘‘I was pretty happy with that performance last year, so I’m really hoping I can qualify again and be a strong contender for the podium.
The Raleyn Bates-coached competitor juggles her training commitments with her studies at the University of Otago and also a part-time job.
Peeters also turned actor for a day as well this year.
She spent the day in Auckland filming a television advert for drink Powerade.
Peeters was filmed throwing a javelin and is is now being screened in Mexico, Korea, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Columbia, Brazil, France, Spain and Italy, as well as New Zealand.
‘‘It was such an awesome experience. It was something completely left-field to what I’d ever experienced, it was a lot of fun.
‘‘It was a awesome bonus for me to be involved in when it’s an ad targeted for the Rio Olympics, how cool is that?’’
‘‘It is pretty cool when you turn on the telly and there you are throwing a spear.’’
Peeters is part of a talented sporting family.
Her older sister, Stacey, is part of the Southern Steel netball squad while her younger brother is a promising rugby player.