Adam Peaty storms to Team GB's first Rio 2016 gold in new world record
Adam Peaty has won Britain's first medal of the 2016 Rio Olympics taking gold in the men's 100 metres breaststroke and setting a new world record.
Adam Peaty has won Britain's first medal of the 2016 Rio Olympics taking gold in the men's 100 metres breaststroke and setting a new world record.
The 21-year-old stormed to victory with a 57.13 seconds swim, smashing his own world record for the second time in two days and winning Britain's first gold in the men's swimming for decades.
Peaty comfortably beat South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh and Cody Miller of the United States to take gold, Britain's first podium finish of the games so far.
The sensational swim was followed just minutes later with glory for Team GB's Jazz Carlin, who took silver in the women's 400 metres freestyle.
Describing the historic moment as "so surreal", the seemingly unflappable Peaty said he took the first 50 metres "easy" before bursting back along the home straight "with everything I've got".
He said: "I did it for my country because that means so much to me."
Paying tribute to his coach, Melanie Marshall, he added: "Coming out tonight she didn't have to get me pumped up, I knew this arena would be absolutely perfect for me."
A surprise star of Peaty's story has been his adoring grandmother, Mavis Williams, who roared him on from her home in Sheffield before tweeting her congratulations to the winner and his coach.
"Well you have done it @adam_peaty you have made it, your hard work paid off. Congratulations to you and @massivemel. So proud love Nan x," she wrote.
Giving a thumbs up as he received his medal, the champion smiled ear-to-ear and - in contrast to most victorious Olympians - sang the national anthem before waving to his family in the crowds.
Cheering him on during the race were his mother and father, Caroline and Mark Peaty, and girlfriend Anna Zair.
Mrs Peaty said she was ecstatic, while a hoarse Mr Peaty appeared lost for words. "It was good. Very good. He's got two world records in the matter of two days," he said.