When Australian runner Nagmeldin 'Peter' Bol led the men's 800m Olympic track final on Wednesday, an entire nation held its breath, daring to believe. For the longest minute or so, Bol took the pack almost all the way, setting the pace at the front. Glued to screens across the country, Australians - millions of them in lockdown - willed him on, their first finalist in the event in 53 years.

Alas, a fairytale ending wasn't to be. Going into the last bend, Bol was overtaken, and ultimately finished fourth. "I didn't know if I was going to win, but I knew one thing for certain," Bol said after the race. "That the whole of Australia was watching - and that carried me on."

Bol's runs in Tokyo have set national records; in particular, his semi-final win on Sunday electrified Australia. Before the final, the potential for a new track champion, a 27-year-old man of Sudanese heritage, energised Australians of all backgrounds. For the Sudanese-Australian community in particular, Bol's sudden surge to national attention brought much pride.

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