Rio 2016 Olympics: Adam Peaty smashes world record in 100m breaststroke
ADAM PEATY obliterated his own world record in the Olympic HEATS - and grinned: “That’s not too shabby!”
The world champion came into these Games as Britain’s stand-out hope of gold in the pool.
And Peaty more than lived up to his billing in the final heat of the 100 metres breaststroke, clocking 57.55 to beat the record time of 57.92 he set in London in April 2015.
Amazingly, this was the Staffordshire star’s very first dip in Olympic waters.
But he looked like he was born to swim on this stage, as he confidently nodded his head when he saw what he had just achieved on the big screen.
Peaty, who was a second faster than anyone else in the heats, had admitted earlier this year that he was waiting until Rio before he really went all out to set a new benchmark.
And after doing so, he smiled: “57.55 is not too shabby!
“Going down that first 50m I knew it was fast, and I knew I turned fast.
“But it wasn’t until 25m to go when the crowd started screaming more and more.
“I thought, ‘There’s something dodgy going on. There’s no Brazilians in this race!’
“But it was just great to get out there and do myself proud.
“It’s my first Olympic Games and I’m just excited to race.
“I’ve become an Olympian now and that is a good thing to have.
“Hopefully I put a good show on.”
Peaty admits he sought advice on what to expect of the Games atmosphere from his coach Mel Marshall, a two-time Olympian, and double gold medal winner Rebecca Adlington.
And he hopes his heat heroics will inspire kids back home that are glued to the action in Brazil.
Peaty added: “Mel, my coach, she’s an expert in this region.
“And I’ve spoken to Becky quite a few times to see what the Olympics is like.
“But nobody can describe what that is like until you’ve been in there.
“I wasn’t even that pumped before the race, but as soon as you walk in, it’s fight or flight and I chose to get something out of it.
“You can either be shy of the arena or take advantage of it.
“Hopefully for kids looking at home and watching these Games, that’s going to be their moment that I had four years ago, to switch on and put the hard work in for the next Olympics.”
Another inspiring moment last night came from Yusra Mardini, who won her 100m butterfly heat for the Refugee Olympic Team.
Last year, while attempting to flee war-torn Syria, Mardini was famously forced to swim three hours in the sea while pushing a boat full of refugees to safety.
The 18-year-old and her team-mates were given a hero’s welcome when they were paraded at Friday night’s opening ceremony.
And less than 24 hours later she was winning in the Aquatics Stadium, albeit in a time which saw her ranked 41st out of 45.
Mardini beamed: "The ceremony was really amazing and I really enjoyed it but I couldn't stay late because I had to race.
“The only thing I ever wanted was to compete in the Olympics.
"It's an incredible feeling. Competing with all these great champions is exciting.”
A less heart-warming swimming tale, though, came with the reinstatement of two more shamed Russians.
Natalia Lovtsova was yesterday added to the women’s 100m butterfly startlist at the last minute after successfully appealing against a doping ban - but trailed last in her heat.
Yulia Efimova has also been allowed back in and she was hastily added to the startlists for Sunday's 100m breaststroke heats, as well as Wednesday’s 200m.
The London 2012 bronze medallist, 24, was banned for 16 months in 2013 after an anabolic steroid was found in her system.
She was also given a provisional ban after testing positive for meldonium earlier this year.
But the Court of Arbitration for Sport has told the IOC that athletes cannot be banned from Rio on the basis they have been previously sanctioned.
