Team GB begin Tokyo gold rush as Peaty, diving pair Daley and Lee and Pidcock all crowned champions on magic Monday
ADAM Peaty launched a golden dawn for Team GB as he sparked Tokyo 2020 take-off.
Swim star Peaty was one of THREE British golds in the space of five hours as the country’s biggest overseas Games team cast off their weekend woes.
Peaty romped to his expected 100m breaststroke gold, becoming the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title.
And the 26-year-old 'Staffordshire pool terrier' lit the blue touchpaper on a glorious morning for British sport.
Four-and-a-half hours after Peaty earned gold and just 30 yards away from the swimming pool pad that confirmed his triumph, diver Tom Daley and new partner Matty Lee shocked world and Olympic champions Yuan Chao and Aisen Chen of China to win the 10m platform synchro.
The hat-trick was completed by mountain biker Tom Pidcock, who produced a brilliant solo ride to crush his opponents and become Britain’s first Olympic champion in the discipline.
GB were also celebrating a silver, with triathlete Alex Yee putting in a superb display at Odaiba to get on the podium.
And another silver came from taekwondo’s "Welsh whirlpool" Lauren Williams in the final of the 67kg class.
It was a remarkable morning, all the more so after the disappointments of the first two full days of the Games which had brought only a silver for taekwondo’s Bradly Sinden and bronze in judo for Chelsea Giles.
But Yee got GB off to a terrific start as he rose before dawn for a brutal triathlon, coming second to Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway, with team-mate Jonny Brownlee just out of the medals in fifth.
Yee said: “Kristian was the man on the day but I’d done everything I physically could have to get to that line in the best possible shape.
“It doesn’t feel real like it’s me yet. I’m just normal boy from South-East London.”
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Peaty, by contrast, has already acquired legendary status, unbeaten in seven years and who had swum the 17 quickest swims in history.
He made that 18 as he touched home in 57.37 seconds, the fifth fastest of all time, comfortably ahead of Dutch challenger Arno Kamminga.
Sweary Peaty forced BBC interviewer Sharon Davies to apologise as he turned the 3.30am air blue.
He said: “I’m just so f***ing relieved!
“Sorry about the swearing, I am very emotional.
“It’s not about the best person all year round, it’s the best on the day. The best person on the day, who is the most adaptable, and really, who f***ing wants it more.”
Peaty said he hoped his win might be a signal for the rest of Team GB, adding: “These Games are about individual performance but it’s also about the great team effort.
“Everybody has a part to play. Whether I’ll be a catalyst for more gold, silver or bronze medals I don’t know.
“Nobody can tell the future but hopefully it gives inspiration to the rest of the team.”
The answer came at the other end of the Tokyo Aquatics Centre as Daley - who had two bronze medals from his three previous Games - and Lee stunned the defending champions.
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Leading by a mere two points, they risked everything on the toughest dive in the sport, a forward four-and-a-half somersault with a 3.7 degree of difficulty, and absolutely nailed it.
Daley jumped into his partner’s arms as the Chinese pair’s final score confirmed the gold.
He said: “I’ve wanted to win an Olympic gold medal my whole life and it’s so great to be able to do it alongside Matty.
“It felt like it was an hour them hitting the water and the scoreboard coming up.
“But now I AM an Olympic champion. It’s been a dream for so long. I can’t believe it’s happened.”
Within minutes, Pidcock was crossing the finishing line at the Izu Mountain Bike Course, 20 seconds clear of his nearest chaser.
The 21-year-old from Leeds broke his collarbone just two months ago but was determined to take his place on the start line.
Pidcock said: “I haven't done a good race since the injury.
“I knew I was in great shape but there's always doubt when I haven't performed in a race.
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"But once the race started, I knew I was in a good place.”
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And GB’s fifth medal of the day was assured at the Makuhari Messe when Williams beat Ruth Gbagbi of Ivory Coast in her semi-final to earn a shot at glory later today.
The 22-year-old will meet Croatian Matea Jelic in the final at 1.30pm.
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