World-record holder Adam Peaty on Monday marked his return to major competition with a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the World Aquatics Championships after an extended break to deal with mental health issues.
The Us’ Nic Fink won gold in 58.57 seconds, Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi claimed silver in 58.84 seconds and Peaty touched in at 59.10 seconds — far off his world record of 56.88 seconds set in 2019.
Peaty did not shave his red mustache and wore hoop earrings for the final. The British standout had a slow start and never quite recovered, but his main goal this season is still to come first at the Paris Olympics.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“I’m a bit disappointed with the execution, but that’s what I’ve got to focus on for the next five months now” Peaty said.
Peaty, who took a break last year as he struggled with depression and alcohol abuse after an unprecedented run of success, won the 100m breaststroke at the last two Olympics and claimed gold at worlds in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
“It’s bittersweet, because we did get a medal, which we didn’t aim for,” Peaty said. “The only thing I’m disappointed about is obviously the lack of skills, but also going slower from the semi to the final. I don’t want to be that person who does that. I never have been.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
“I’ve got to keep things in perspective that [since his return] this is my first triple — heats, semis, final — so still getting used to that, still enjoying this sport and being back in the arena,” he added.
Peaty missed the 2022 worlds due to a foot injury and took his break during last year’s worlds — meaning his last major meet was the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“I do believe everything happens for a reason,” Peaty said. “I’m going to take the success along with the failures. At this time of the season a failure is a good thing and makes me tune and learn a little bit more. We’ll see how it pushes us through trials and the Olympics.”
Thirty-year-old Fink added to his gold in the 50m breaststroke at the 2022 worlds in Budapest. He celebrated by propping himself up on a lane rope and pointing to his flexed right bicep, then tumbled backward into the water.
“It’s definitely crazy getting the first worlds gold in the 100 at the age of 30,” Fink said. “The fact I was able to accomplish so much in my career and I’m still experiencing new things is really fun right now.”
Kate Douglass — the only US individual gold medalist from last year’s worlds in Fukuoka, Japan, who came to Doha — comfortably defended her 200m individual medley title in 2 minutes, 07.05 seconds ahead of Sydney Pickrem of Canada (2:08.56) and Yu Yiting of China (2:09.01).
Angelina Kohler became the first German woman to win individual gold in 15 years at the worlds when she finished first in the 100m butterfly.
Kohler touched in at 56.28 seconds to shave a whopping 0.77 seconds off her fifth-placed finish in Fukuoka less than seven months ago. The US’ Claire Curzan took silver in 56.61 seconds and Sweden’s Louise Hansson took bronze in 56.94 seconds.
Diogo Ribeiro won the 50m butterfly for Portugal’s first-ever gold at worlds, touching in at 22.97 seconds ahead of the US’ Michael Andrew (23.07 seconds) and Cameron McEvoy of Australia (23.08 seconds).
Nineteen-year-old Ribeiro claimed silver in the same event at Fukuoka last year for Portugal’s first ever medal at worlds.
The 50m butterfly is not an Olympic event.
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