Great Britain’s Jonnie Peacock said “2017 Jonnie is the guy he needs to find” to compete with the world’s best after finishing fifth in the men’s T64 100m final in Paris.
The two-time Paralympic champion made a fine start out of the blocks, but was overtaken in the latter stages of the race and eventually crossed the line in 10.91 seconds.
Costa Rica’s Sherman Guity took gold with a Paralympic record time of 10.65.
Italian Maxcel Amo Manu finished second, with Germany’s Felix Streng taking the bronze medal.
“It’s frustrating but 2017 Jonnie would have wiped the floor with all of them,” Peacock told Channel 4.
“I ran 10.64 slowing down [at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London] and that’s what a lot of people seem to have forgotten.
“They count me out because they think these guys are fast, and they are, they are fast. But 2017 Jonnie was very fast and that’s the guy I need to find.”
Peacock, 31, won T44 gold at London 2012 and in Rio four years later, before taking bronze in the T64 event in Tokyo three years ago.
Recently he has been affected by injures and issues with his technique, finishing fifth in last year’s World Championships.
There was also disappointment for David Weir, who finished sixth in his heat and failed to qualify for the men’s T54 1500m final, but fellow Briton Nathan Maguire will be in Tuesday’s final after ending third in his heat.