“Looking back, I truly believe that my time at Grammar with its highs and lows, shaped me into the man I am today.”— Jeremy Peacock
Jeremy Peacock (2005 – 09) currently represents Australia in Paratriathlon.
Jeremy Peacock is ranked third in the world in the PTS4 Para category and his sights are set on selection for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. During Jeremy’s time at TGS he represented the School in numerous endeavours but was particularly known for his contributions to the Arts, particularly Music. On the sports field, Jeremy represented TGS in GPS Athletics, Cross Country, Cricket and Football.
After returning from a gap year in the UK teaching music at Port Regis School, Dorset, Jeremy attended Bond University completing a Bachelor of Commerce with further study to qualify as a Chartered Accountant (CA). He is currently an Associate Director at KPMG, one of Australia’s ‘Big 4’ accounting firms in Melbourne.
Jeremy was born three months premature and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy which impairs the development of muscles and hinders co-ordination and neurological movements.
“This was probably not well known to the community during my time at TGS because I suppressed the diagnosis,” said Jeremy. “I did not consider myself to be impaired and I was determined to compete in all sports against my fellow able-bodied athletes.”
During his cross country days with Mr Mark Oliphant as his coach, Jeremy just wanted to beat everyone. “Yet in hindsight I was never on a level playing field,” he said. Jeremy’s time at TGS was constantly on the go, balancing schoolwork with music rehearsals and sport practice; there was never a dull moment in his very busy TGS life.
“I was not the best at everything; I wasn’t Dux nor a Prefect, but I was consistent and always put 100% into any challenge that came my way.”
It took several years for Jeremy to accept his impairment. However, with the support and literal badgering from his triathlon friends, in 2020 Jeremy was encouraged to approach the Australian Institute of Sport for classification.
“This was a defining moment. I was subsequently categorised as a Paratriathlete and from that moment a new doorway opened,” he stated.
Destined to compete overseas for the first time just as COVID struck taught him patience and belief to “trust the process”. In 2022, after relocating to Girona in Spain to train with the Australian team and race on the international circuit, Jeremy had his breakthrough, winning gold at the World Triathlon Para Series in Montreal, Canada. He also went on to place third at his first World Championships in Abu Dhabi, backing up two days later to anchor the Australian team to gold in the first ever mixed Paratriathlon relay.
To cap off an excellent initial season with a consistent string of results, Jeremy was awarded the Triathlon Australia Individual Paratriathlete Male Performance of the Year. He achieved all of this whilst working full-time. “Unfortunately, like many Para sports in Australia, Paratriathlon does not receive substantial funding nor prize money,” said Jeremy.
“Most of my funding is from my fulltime job whilst also training 25-30 hours a week.” Jeremy has continued his success into 2023, recently winning the PTS4 World Triathlon Para Series race in Devonport, Tasmania and is currently preparing for upcoming races in Europe and the United States, culminating in the World Championships to be held in Pontevedra, Spain this September.
His advice to current TGS boys:
“Become fully immersed in the TGS life as you will form some fond memories of your time at TGS.
“Do what makes you happy; it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. Set your sights high, you never know what you are capable of.”— Jeremy Peacock
You can follow Jeremy's blog for updates and insights into his experiences leading up to the biggest race of his life.
Jeremy's Road to Paris 2024
Despite the challenges Jeremy has faced, he remains committed to giving his all in the pursuit of his Paralympic dream and now his sights are set on competing in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Read the latestLatest Blog
Boarding - Building Men of Good Character
Over the past five years, we have found one of the most valuable lessons that boarding can teach teenage boys is the ability to self-navigate and overcome challenges. Entering a boarding house is the first time many boarders have stepped away from the comfort and security of their parents and guardians. Although this can be a daunting experience, one of the things that this unfamiliarity creates is the ability to organise yourself. With a larger workload than previous years, a greater number…
The Learning Pit
Learning is at our core and covers all subject disciplines, co-curricular pursuits, personal development and interest areas. Helping our Toowoomba Grammar School boys view learning as a disposition that goes well beyond the classroom context is incredibly important. Learning has a life-long value in all we do. We also acknowledge that learning can be challenging at times, and it can be uncomfortable, but also wonderfully inspiring and fulfilling. Appreciating the full range of feelings and…
Leap Before You Look
The boarding journey offers students a plethora of opportunities to step outside of their comfort zone and take advantage of new environments, relationships, and opportunities during their time at Toowoomba Grammar School. We often talk about “character education” – a theory that originated in the US and has been increasingly embraced by leading schools globally. It is encouraging all students to develop new approaches to their learning, including aspects of morals and ethics, thinking,…
Literacy at TGS: A research-informed approach
A recent Grattan Institute report has shared that one-third of Australian students are failing to learn to read proficiently, referring to the situation as a ‘preventable tragedy’. In addition, the report identifies evidence-based approaches utilising structured literacy programs with phonics and explicit instruction as the most effective methods of teaching literacy. At Toowoomba Grammar School, we implement a structured synthetic phonics approach to teaching spelling and reading that…
Past Mothers, Present Supporters
Any Old Boy will tell you the Blue and Gold is part of their blood. They love the history, the traditions, the memories, and the lifelong friends they made during their time at Toowoomba Grammar School. Well, it seems the same can be said for many TGS mums. The Past Mothers’ Group was formed in 1979 by Mrs Mary Campbell who contacted as many past mothers as she could and invited them to meet at her home where the Past Mothers’ Group was officially formed with the intention of retaining links…
The TGS Interact Club - the Reward for Work Well Done
The Interact Club successfully raised over $10,000 last year for charities and services on a local, statewide and international scale through the hard work and commitment of its members. With these funds, the Interact Club has donated Backpack Blankets to Toowoomba's homeless, helped AEIOU's efforts in supporting children with autism, contributed to the "Are You Bogged Mate?" campaign for rural mental health and raised funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. As well as many other individual…
A Question of Character
In an age bursting with technological innovations and an overwhelming abundance of information, the present era appears to be characterised by a swift and unrelenting pace of change. Our society, young and old alike, finds itself constantly bombarded with provocative and sensationalist narratives. The media floods our consciousness with constant streams of global dilemmas, highlighting the flaws of our leaders, uncovering corporate or political scandals, and bringing conflicts and tragedies…
Coping with Homesickness
Homesickness can be brutal for both your son and for parents. As a parent it can feel like your heart is being ripped out in some cases daily. It is extremely hard hearing how sad your boy may sound on the phone, and then you are left reeling for 24 hours until the next call – you are often left worried that they are feeling like this all day. Rest assured only vary rare cases are that bad and in most cases it’s temporary and things usually improve as your son settles in. The reality is that…
Introducing Gabe Robbie, the new Head of Curriculum
I am excited to be joining the staff here at Toowoomba Grammar School in the role of Head of Curriculum. I grew up in a small coastal town in NSW and attended the University of Sydney to complete my undergraduate degree. Please don’t hold my NSW origin against me (Go Blues!). Teaching, and education, has always been a passion of mine and ever since I was in high school, the plan was to be a teacher. I graduated from the University of Sydney with a double degree in Education and Arts, majoring…
