Peaty confident he has plenty more to offer in the pool

The swimmer became Great Britain's first gold medallist at Rio 2016, winning the 100m breaststroke to complete the clean sweep of titles – all of them coming within the past two years.

But despite being just 22 years of age, some have already wondered whether Peaty will hang up his goggles once and for all sometime soon, though the man himself insists nothing can be further from the truth.

Still the only man to go under 58 seconds across 100m, Peaty believes he still has plenty more to offer in what has already been a medal-laden career.

And with the allure of becoming the first British swimmer to win two consecutive Olympic titles on his mind, there is no chance of him reducing his high standards, with the British Championships also just eight days away.

"I feel like I am just starting now, it's a bit weird that people ask you if you plan to retire as soon as you hit the top but I know I definitely have a lot more work to do," Peaty, whose Olympic time of 57.13s saw him awarded Best Male Olympic Swimming Performance by FINA last year, told British Swimming.

"We'll aim for Tokyo 2020 and if we are in good shape we'll keep going to 2024. I don't see why I can't be in good shape but you never know what is around the corner. If I train this well as long as I can then 2024 is still a possibility.

"The other day I was thinking about when people say you have got to defend your titles but I don't see it like that. I am still attacking those titles because I am planning to go faster than anyone else.

"I haven't really got to defend anything – I am just going to keep attacking and do what I've always done since 2014 and that is to swim as fast as you can out there and come back as fast as you can.

"This year I have already laid down some quick times to show my speed is there even when I am in full training.

"Going into the British Championships I am just looking forward to seeing what I've got but at the same time I think I can swim pretty fast as well."

Sportsbeat 2017