Adam Peaty announced his comeback after clinching the British 100m breaststroke title with the fastest time of the year, securing his spot in the Paris Olympics. After addressing depression and alcohol concerns during a break, Peaty delivered a remarkable performance in London, clocking 57.94 seconds, his quickest since defending his Olympic title in 2021.
When asked if he had reached his peak form, the three-time Olympic champion, aged 29, responded affirmatively, stating, “I think so.” He acknowledged the significance of his achievement, saying, “A 57.9 is very good, still not where I want to be, but the first solid result where I am like, ‘Oh not many people can do this’.”
Despite facing setbacks, including a foot injury that led to a fourth-place finish in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and a hiatus in 2023 to focus on mental well-being, Peaty demonstrated improvement upon his return to major competitions. His performance in London was particularly notable, surpassing his previous times and indicating a return to form.
Notably, his time of 58.53 seconds in the heats would have earned him gold at the World Championships. Peaty’s resurgence comes amidst anticipation of a showdown with China’s Qin Haiyang, who won the 2023 world championships with a time of 57.69. Reflecting on his journey, Peaty expressed gratitude for his support network and rediscovered joy in swimming.
He admitted that the sport had previously “broken” him but now finds fulfillment in his daily routine. Despite uncertainties, he maintains an optimistic outlook, acknowledging that while his story might not be a fairytale, there’s potential for it to become one.
The initial day of the British championships marked a pivotal moment in various events, where each winner effectively secured one of two spots for the Olympics provided they met the qualification standards. Commonwealth champion James Wilby claimed silver behind Peaty, falling just short of the Olympic qualification time by 0.02 seconds.
In an unexpected upset, Keanna MacInnes triumphed in the 200m butterfly, surpassing 2024 world champion Laura Stephens and setting a Scottish record time of two minutes and 7.24 seconds to secure her place.
Despite Stephens also meeting the qualification time, both are anticipated to compete in France. Freya Colbert emerged victorious in the 200m freestyle but hinted she may skip Paris due to scheduling conflicts with the 400m individual medley, which she won at the World Championships.
Colbert’s win guarantees her a place on the 4x200m relay team, while Abbie Wood, finishing second under the qualification time, is expected to race in the event at the Olympics. Kieran Bird delivered a lifetime best to win the men’s 400m freestyle, but his time of 3:45.63 narrowly missed the Olympic qualifying mark by 0.2 seconds.
The British championships also showcased Para events, with Paralympic qualification following a distinct process. In a highly competitive women’s 200m Para-freestyle race, five swimmers – Poppy Maskill, Olivia Newman-Baronius, Louise Fiddes, Jessica-Jane Applegate, and Suzanna Hext – all exceeded the qualification time.
Maskill emerged victorious, positioning herself favorably for a place in Paris. In other Para-swimming events, Sam Downie clinched the 400m freestyle title, Grace Harvey the 50m butterfly, Lyndon Longhorne the 150m individual medley, and Harry Stewart the 100m breaststroke, despite all four falling short of the initial qualification time for the Paralympics.
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