Peacock feeling invincible with Pfaff in
‘Best coach in world’ gives British sprinter confidence that he could hit new heights when he lines up in front of the home fans
JONNIE PEACOCK has had months to ponder how London 2017 may play out. For a time, it came down to a head-to-head with world record holder Richard Browne but the American has struggled to recapture his best form, did not attend the US trials and has not been selected.
But, mostly, he has been wondering what he’s capable of and whether Browne’s T44 100m world record of 10.61sec could go this summer.
Since turning back to his former coach Dan Pfaff, an ex-teacher who Peacock calls “the best coach in the world”, Peacock has recaptured his winning form of London 2012.
It led to a successful defence of his Paralympic title in Rio and has allowed him to reach for the stars in front of his home crowd.
Peacock says: “I remember running 10.68 last year, comfortably a personal best for me, and thinking, ‘well, that’s after just six months with Dan Pfaff — think what I can do in London after 18 months with him?’”
The athlete-coach relationship plays out predominantly via Whatsapp and Skype, with Pfaff emailing training programmes and Peacock firing back videos of himself in training.
“Dan used to be a physics university professor and he’s got this great eye,” says Peacock. “He’ll see things in real time that I have to break down to the slowest of slow motions to see.
“And he’s an anorak of information. He has an answer to every question and that’s amazing, so it’s been great to work with him.”
Peacock’s golden streak of London 2012 continued on to the World Championships the next year, where he also triumphed. But injuries struck and, after recovering, he struggled to hit the same heights with replacement coach Steve Fudge, a protege of Pfaff to whom Peacock turned when the American returned home.
“I’d struggled with a couple of injuries and my programme wasn’t quite right,” says a reflective Peacock. “That’s taking nothing away from Steve Fudge, who taught me so much and will become one of the UK’s very best coaches. But back with Dan.”
The injuries have gone, any doubts in his mind have dissipated and Rio has merely strengthened the mindset that he is a performer for the big stage.
“This is my home championship and I’m massively excited to go back to London,” he adds. “I timed things right for London 2012, Rio and also the World Championships in 2013.
“It’s a very tough field, probably the most competitive event at London 2017. But there’s something about the big occasion that brings out the best in me, and few come bigger than this.”
With Browne absent, Peacock
it feels right to be
still does not want for rivals. Browne’s fellow American Jarryd Wallace and German sprinter Felix Streng will be among two of his closest challengers for gold in the capital.
Streng took bronze at the Rio Paralympics, almost quarter of a second behind Peacock, but was part of Germany’s victorious sprint relay squad,