“I'm Liking The New Version Of Myself” Says Adam Peaty After 57.94 ...

2024 AQUATICS GB SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (OLYMPIC TRIALS)

Day one of the 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials) saw 29-year-old Adam Peaty bust out his fastest 100m breaststroke time since 2021.

Nine years removed from breaking the world record for the first time at the London Aquatics Centre, Peaty crushed an outing of 57.94 to punch his ticket for this summer’s Olympic Games.

For Peaty, his performance is a culmination of his pursuit of self-reinvention after dealing with mental health issues over the past year.

Peaty reflected on his performance in light of what he’s overcome on his comeback journey.

“I’m not fully back, I’ve still got a second [to his world record of 56.88]! I’m always going to have that mindset, but I’ve got a healthy approach to it. A few years ago, I’d have come out of there disappointed.

The self-described emotional swimmer continued, “I’ve learned to appreciate the moments of greatness for myself, not even relative to the world. For me, that was a great swim, executed well – but the most promising thing is that I’m finding peace in the water now, instead of anger and just fighting it, and trying to win like that.

“I’m finding a new version of myself which I’m really liking, and I think that’s a version that can do really well at the Olympics. 

“It’s been nearly 10 years since I went a 57.9 here [with his 2015 world record] – where does the time go?! Old people always say that, I never knew what they meant. I’m just getting more wisdom and more peace. I know that I’m incrementally getting better.”

Peaty’s 57.94 effort easily cleared the Aquatics GB-mandated selection standard of 59.45 for Paris.

The father of one now ranks as the #1 men’s 100m breaststroke in the world for 2024 and #2 on the season with only China’s dynamo Qin Haiyang ranked ahead of him.

You can watch Peaty’s Olympic Trials finals race here.