South Africa’s Cameron van der Burgh, the defending Olympic champion took silver behind Peaty in 58.69 and American Cody Miller the bronze in 58.87.
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Adam’s sister, Bethany Peaty, said: “Nan has made headlines recently, outshining my brother Adam Peaty who just won GB’s first gold medal of the 2016 Olympics!”.
Peaty himself said he took the first 50m “easy” in the final before bursting back along the home straight “with everything I’ve got”.
“Nothing means more to me than racing for my country, racing for the Queen, the Royal family and racing for the people back home who support me”.
Looking visibly stunned, she said: “I honestly can not believe it – I’m on the edge of tears”.
The 21-year-old’s parents Caroline, a nursery teacher, and Mark, a caretaker, are now in Rio with their son, while his proud grandmother Mavis has taken to Twitter to document her celebrations using the hashtag #OlympicNan.
“We’d love to get nan (+ one family member to travel with her) out to Rio so that she can enjoy the closing ceremony with the rest of the family on August 21”.
Peaty said: “I’m representing one of the best countries on earth”. “It was good. Very good. Honestly, I think you’ll have to ask me about it in two days”, he added.
The second-seeded pair lost 7-6 7-6 to the Brazilian duo of Andre Sa and Thomaz Bellucci.
Lizzie Armitstead failed to rouse herself following a reprieve having missing three drugs tests in the last 12 months, after finishing fifth in a chaotic women’s road race, as the course claimed further victims.
“Eventually a friend took him and managed to get him in when he was about four and it went from there”.
“He didn’t like the water when he was younger”, she said.
At Athens 2004, Marshall had headed into the Games ranked world number one in the 200m freestyle event but then failed to make the final – although she admits that experience has helped mould not only her as a coach but Peaty’s elevation to the top.
His 100m best, set in his first ever Olympic swim – the heats of the men’s breaststroke – was an improvement upon his own world record.
Great Britain women’s sevens will guarentee themselves a medal if they overcome New Zealand in the semi-final on day three, after overcoming Canada and Fiji in Rio.
The Team GB medals take Britain to eighth in the table.
Slalom canoeists Joe Clarke and David Florence impressed on the water, qualifying second and third respectively from the K1 and C1 heats.
Rio 2016 is Peaty’s first Olympic Games, and he’s been a victor at every single stage.
World champion James Guy will also be on the hunt for a first swimming medal in the 400m freestyle.
Ledecky finished nearly five seconds ahead of the field, with Great Britain’s Jazzmin Carlin winning silver. “We are proud of you”.
Adlington won two gold medals swimming in the 2008 Beijing Games.
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“There were so many situations – I had just come out of an elite sport from Beijing and retired – and he had just landed on my doorstep and it went from there”.
