With the Tokyo showpiece under threat from the coronavirus pandemic, a possible postponement could give Tasmania's multiple national javelin champion time to recover.

"It's obviously all up in the air but at least I don't have to worry about it," Peacock said.

"Other athletes could spend the next two months training hard and then have the rug pulled out from under them so it's preferable not to have that."

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT:

The 29-year-old two-time Commonwealth Games medallist was starting to feel back to his best when he suffered a freak accident at the recent NSW Championships.

Landing badly in wet conditions as he released his throw, Peacock fell forward onto the Sydney track tearing the pec tendon at the top of his arm.

"It will need surgery and could be six months before I'm back to full strength so I won't be able to compete at the Olympics.

"It's obviously disappointing but that's the way it goes. It's frustrating but I've had a pretty good run with injuries. I've barely had any in eight years and javelin is quite brutal on the body so I've done OK. But a shoulder is pretty important to throwing."

Having achieved a season goal of returning to the elite benchmark of 80-metre throws, UTAS Athletic Club's Hobart-born triple world championship representative was optimistic about returning to the Olympic arena having finished 25th in Rio four years ago.

"I did get over 80 at a local meet in Hobart and it's good to get back to that because I did not do it last year and I had been consistently hitting 78s without it quite clicking.

"I really felt I was ready to jump back into the 80s and starting to feel confident and back towards my best throws.

"I felt like there would be a lot more when it really clicked. I knew there was more in the tank."

Returning to his day job as an engineer in Hobart, Peacock can take an objective view of the Olympic situation.

He said while some selections have been announced for Tokyo, sports like athletics and swimming are at a disadvantage because they have lost their qualification events.

"What is it four months away now? You imagine they want to keep pumping out a positive message but don't really know where it is heading.

"A lot of people have not qualified yet and there are no events for them to compete in to try and qualify so it is all up in the air and nobody can predict what's going to happen. I imagine everyone is wondering what's going on.

"If they do postpone it for a year, it could work out well for me in the long run but I hope for everyone else's sake that's not the case."

Despite the disruptions caused by the coronavirus, Tasmania already has three competitors locked in for Tokyo.

Hobart kayaker Daniel Watkins has had his selection confirmed along with track cyclists and former Rio roommates Georgia Baker, of Perth, and Amy Cure, of West Pine.

Other Tasmanians have already reached the required qualification standards such as King Island middle distance runner Stewart McSweyn while the state is expected to be well represented in hockey and rowing.

We have removed our paywall from our stories about the coronavirus. This is a rapidly changing situation and we want to make sure our readers are as informed as possible. If you would like to support our journalists you can subscribe here.