Peaty’s gold was his country’s first at a world championships since Liam Tancock won the 50m backstroke in Shanghai in 2011.
Advertisement
Great Britain’s Adam Peaty has won gold in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke at the Aquatics World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
Hungary’s gold medal victor Katinka Hosszu smiles after setting a…
Van der Burgh finished just 0.07 seconds behind, with Britain’s Ross Murdoch taking third in 59.09.
Peaty told BBC Sport: “I wasn’t going for my world record, I was just going for gold”.
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor also returned to the water after landing a maiden World Championship medal last night with bronze in the 200m Individual Medley.
Van der Burgh says Peaty has helped push for faster times since the 20-year-old Briton announced his arrival by winning the 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m title. “If I don’t get it, it’ll go to Damir or Adam, so I think we can get ready for a new time”. “About 25 meters out he was still in front so I was a bit skeptical”. Meanwhile, Van der Burgh won silver in the 100m breaststroke yesterday, outshone by Peaty.
Competing at his first Worlds, all eyes were on Commonwealth and European champion Peaty, having lowered the 100m Breaststroke world record at this season’s British Championships in London.
Van der Burgh had a flawless start to take the early lead and was the first to turn after 50m. If you slip for one moment, in one race, you’re off.
Lochte was the leading qualifier for the 200 freestyle final on Tuesday night that features a loaded field including Sun Yang of China, Chad le Clos of South Africa, world record holder Paul Biedermann of Germany, James Guy of Britain and Cam McEvoy of Australia.
Advertisement
The semi-finals take place later on Tuesday, with the final on Wednesday. Peaty, who is also the world record holder over 50m, could add further medals in that distance and the 200m in Russian Federation later this week.
