London (AFP) – Adam Peaty qualified for his defence of the 100m breaststroke title at the Paris Olympics in style by setting the fastest time in the world this year at the British swimming championships.
The two-time Olympic champion pulled out of the British championships last year to take time out to deal with depression and alcohol problems.
However, he laid down a marker to the challengers to his crown in Paris by winning the British title in London in a time of 57.94 seconds.
That was the 29-year-old's fastest time since winning gold in Tokyo three years ago. World-record holder Peaty was unbeaten over 100 metres for eight years between 2014 and 2022.
But he could only finish fourth at the 2022 Commonwealth Games after breaking his foot and stepped away from the sport for much of 2023 to prioritise his mental health. He claimed bronze on his return to the world championships in February.