BIRMINGHAM, England — Adam Peaty rebounded from Sunday’s stunning defeat at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham by winning gold in the men’s 50m breaststroke final on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old world record holder suffered the first defeat in the 100m breaststroke of his eight- year on Sunday as he finished in fourth place. Doubts remained over his fitness, given he had been in a race to be fit for these games after taking time out of the pool following his triumph at Tokyo 2020, compiled when he suffered a broken foot in May.
But Peaty, who previously compared himself to a “Lion backed into a corner”, roared back on Tuesday, claiming gold in the 50m breaststroke at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham with a time of 26.76 seconds. It is the fifth Commonwealth gold medal of his career.
He lost the 50m breaststroke event at Glasgow 2014 and, famously, Gold Coast 2018, with Tuesday’s win ending his wait for the only major title missing in his senior career.
Peaty became the first British swimmer to defend an Olympic title when he claimed gold in both the men’s 50m and 100m breaststroke, cementing his place as one of the most dominant athletes in the sport.