PARALYMPIC sprinter Jonnie Peacock has underlined his determination to fulfil his dream and represent his country - and Fenland - at London 2012 next summer.
The 17-year-old had his right leg amputated when he was five after catching meningitis. But, after just two years of competitive racing, he has become one of Britain’s best paralympic sprinters in the T44 category.
A junior silver-medallist, Peacock has consistently smashed his personal best, which now stands around seven-tenths of a second off the current world record.
He said: “Getting into the Paralympics is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m never going to get a chance to compete at my home games ever again so I’m desperate for it and I’ll give it everything.
“There’s more to come from me and if I get the chance I’m going to show that in London. I’ll prove it then and I’ll prove it after that.”
Peacock ran a personal best to reach the final of the World Championships in New Zealand last month but could only finish sixth in a field that included world record holder Oscar Pistorius.
He said: “I went to run a PB, get into the final and get my name recognised. I wanted to make a few heads turn.
“I have come so far in such a short space of time and I just need to get that little bit further. That was my first major championships and this is just the starting point. Everytime I race I want to get faster.”
Peacock, from Doddington, is set to have an operation on his ankle, which will prevent him from training for around three months. He will then face a nervous wait to see if he has made the Great Britain squad for London 2012.
It has been a rapid rise to stardom for the teenager, who has never let his disability hold him back.
“I had my leg fitted when I was young so I’ve had time to adapt to it,” he said. “When the school kids ran around, I ran around; when they played football, I played football. But I never thought that I would be in this position.”
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