July 7 (ANTWERP, Belgium) – Thomas Pieters, a Belgian runner, claims to be among a select group of athletes that celebrated the cancellation of the 2018 Olympics by dancing a jig.
T. Pieters Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Pieters had initially been eager to attempt for a medal again following his heartbreaking fourth-place finish at the Games in Rio de Janeiro four years prior, despite shooting a final-round 65.
To this day, he considers his finish in fourth place to be one of the biggest disappointments of his professional life.
“Thinking about it still hurts. Even just getting a medal, of any colour, would have been a huge accomplishment. This will ensure your place in your country’s history.
Then, though, they found out they were expecting a child.
After saying, “It was a bad coincidence for the baby to come during the Olympics,” he smiled and added, “Now it’s all okay.”
Due to the COVID-19 controversy, the Tokyo Olympics had to be postponed for a year. This gave 28-year-old Pieters an opportunity to relax before the big event.
Transitioning was simple, to say the least. Feels good to be back in familiar surroundings. The last time I was at home for this long was when I was… A teenager, maybe 12 or 13, stated Pieters.
“It’s been wonderful, especially since my partner has been pregnant and I’ve been able to spend more time at home with her and be there for her,” he said.
Last Words
On the other hand, Pieters was able to keep practising even during the lockdown.
Since he lives in an apartment, he was the only golfer in Belgium who was able to access the course throughout the two months of lockdown.
Since the lockdown was lifted, he has been playing golf every day for 18 holes while he waits to rejoin the tour.
But that will all depend on the due date of the kid. If it’s not too soon, I’d want to play in the PGA Championship (held in San Francisco in August), but if not, I’ll try to fit in a few tournaments in England and Wales instead.
“I’d love to be back playing tournaments, but you do realise there is other stuff,” he continued.
