Tokyo 2020 - ‘There are always ways to get faster’ - Team GB’s Olympic champion Adam Peaty
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Published 15/04/2021 at 09:10 GMT
The Rio 2016 gold medallist posted the quickest times of the year in the 100m breaststroke at the British Olympic swimming trials, meaning he now holds the 20 fastest times in the discipline’s history. “I’ll take it” was his modest reaction, and Peaty believes he will get quicker by the start of Tokyo 2020.
Adam Peaty continued his dominant form over 100m breaststroke at the British Olympic trials
Image credit: Getty Images
Adam Peaty says he can get quicker ahead of Tokyo 2020, after making more history by filling the 20 fastest times ever over the 100m breaststroke at the British Olympic swimming trials.
With little motivation other than race practice, given he had already qualified for the Games, the Rio 2016 gold medallist posted a 2021 world leading time of 57.70 secs in the heats, before bettering that with 57.39 in the final.
Peaty will head to Tokyo looking to become the first British swimmer to successfully defend an Olympic title. No-one comes close to his world record of 56.88 set at the 2019 World Championships, with the ‘slowest’ of his top 20 times being almost a second and a half behind - a big distance in race terms.
“I’ll take it,” he said, as he reflected on a less than ideal build-up to the event in London.
I’ve had a lot going on with a kid and moving house so I am happy to come here and consolidate those top 20 ever times. For me the execution was perfect. I’m way ahead of where I should be now so I can take a lot of confidence into the summer and the Olympics.
“I think in the next 14 weeks we can fine-tune that. There’s so much to build on right now, and I feel we’ve got a very good foundation. I can’t really see the next 14 weeks going badly.”
Peaty says the birth of his son, George, in September is giving him extra motivation but admitted to finding it difficult throughout parts of coronavirus lockdown.
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‘He did it again!’ – Peaty breaks own 100m breaststroke world record
“There are always ways to get faster,” he added.
“Today there were no crowds, so it was a bit tougher. But that was a mental game but I still got to exactly where I needed to be. It’s two lengths of the pools. A lot of people overcomplicate it.
Covid 19 took a lot out of a lot of athletes, especially me. I’ve been to a lot of bad places and very negative places, but all I had to do was keep my eyes on the end of that tunnel.
“Who knows what competitions are going to be out there, but one thing I’m certain of is that I’ve got a pool, I’ve got a lane, and I’ve got a chance. It’s just the same two lengths of the pool that I’ve been doing since I was 10 years old.”
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