Tokyo 2020: 'Gave me an extra level' - Greg Rutherford backs new dads Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock to win gold

ByJack Bantock

Published 24/07/2021 at 11:01 GMT

The former Olympic long jump champion reflected on his own experiences of fatherhood as an athlete to shed light on Peaty and Whitlock's chances in Tokyo. The two Team GB stars are widely tipped to secure gold in Tokyo, with both athletes winning in Rio in 2016. Watch every unmissable moment live from Tokyo 2020 across Eurosport, Eurosport app and discovery+

Greg Rutherford thinks the new-found parenthood of Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock could give them added motivation for the Tokyo Games.

Peaty is looking to win his second Olympic gold in the pool to add to his Rio triumph, while Whitlock arrives in Tokyo as Britain’s first and only Olympic gymnastics champion aiming for a third gold.

Rutherford told Eurosport he has been paying particular attention to the preparations of the two Team GB stars, and the former Olympic long jump champion fancies their chances in Tokyo.

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“I’ve been keeping an eye on both of them, via social media in particular, and they’re both looking absolutely fantastic," he said.

“Adam Peaty is probably in the shape of his life. He seems to be training incredibly well and seems incredibly confident as well.

I have the absolute pleasure of watching him poolside very soon and I fully expect him to probably smash the world record again and to make sure he holds the top 20 times of all time again.

“The same with Max – he’s training incredibly hard and is so focused.”

Both athletes have become fathers in the past two years, Whitlock welcoming daughter Willow to the world in February 2019 and Peaty becoming a father to son George-Anderson in September last year.

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A father himself to two sons and a daughter, Rutherford said that the pair’s new status as parents could give them a boost ahead of the Games.

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“The thing is with both of them that’s really interesting is they’ve both become dads now,” Rutherford said.

“I remember when that happened during my career, it gave me an extra level of focus which is just a completely different level.

When you’ve got someone else to win medals for, you really do put in that extra effort. So I expect both of them to achieve it and I think it will be one of those real hallmark moments when we see them both standing at the top of the podium.

Peaty is widely expected to win in the 100m breaststroke given following reign of dominance in the pool, beginning his Games in heat seven on Saturday.

The Staffordshire born swimmer has won the event at the previous three world championships and has broken the world record five times since 2016.

Whitlock too finds himself tipped for Team GB gold as he seeks to defend his pommel horse title.

He secured passage to the final of the event earlier today with a score of 14.900, but Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan set the standard with 15.266.

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