Tokyo 2020 - Adam Peaty targeting world record after ‘solid’ start to 100m breaststroke Olympic title defence
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Published 24/07/2021 at 12:59 GMT
Team GB’s Rio 2016 gold medallist looked completely at ease in winning his opening heat in 57.56 seconds - the eighth fastest time in history - but he is looking to go faster in his semi-final on Sunday morning. Peaty said the race was all about trying to shake “the cobwebs out” and believes he can easily reduce his time as the competition goes on.
'I miss him a huge amount' - Peaty on emotions being away from son in Tokyo
Adam Peaty is backing himself to break his own world record in the 100m breaststroke at Tokyo 2020, after beginning his Olympic title defence with an easy win in the heats.
Britain’s world record holder looked comfortable touching for home in 57.56 seconds - the eighth fastest time in history. Dutchman Arno Kamminga has recently started to get closer to Peaty’s extraordinary times by dipping under 58 seconds, but the reigning champion is threatening to better his previous long course world record of 56.88s.
He will go in the semi-finals of the competition shortly after 0330 BST on Sunday morning, alongside fellow Team GB swimmer James Wilby. Speaking to Eurosport expert and London 2012 long jump gold medallist Greg Rutherford, Peaty answered “yeah” when he was asked if that could be the race where he possibly sets a new best ever time.
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'Peaty on Bolt level, no chance anybody beats him' - Rutherford
“I had a shaky first 50 there, but it’s just getting used to the speed, getting used to the legs again,” he said.
“I did that at the Euros and I dropped nearly half a second, so we’re looking to see what I can get in the semi-final tomorrow and then hopefully for the final.
Very fast, very solid, it’s a bit weird when you come to an arena like this, you never know where you’re going to be, you can do all the preparation you can do but tonight it was all about shaking the cobwebs out.
“I haven’t done something like that in a long time so, I’m looking forward to seeing where we can build off that.”
Peaty admits he is missing his family, including baby son George, who are back home in the UK - but he is trying not to let that anguish affect him.
“You can’t get carried away with those thoughts because obviously I miss them a huge amount but for me it’s getting the job done here, doing it for the country back home and enjoying it at the same time.”
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