THE LION ROARS — AND WORLD CHEERS
SAM Williamson may just be Australia’s most improved swimmer at the Commonwealth Games but he was very nearly public No.1 in England.
The Aussie won the silver medal in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke final to add to the bronze he collected in the 100m.
In the one-lap dash, he was up against English superstar Adam Peaty, who had the support of almost everyone in the crowd.
The pair went stroke for stroke down the entire length of the pool, with Peaty just getting his palms on the wall in front of the rapidly improving Aussie, as Australia’s status in men’s breaststroke continue to rise.
“It’s been a dream of mine to step up and be able to race next to Adam Peaty,” Williamson said. “I’ve grown up watching him. This is something I’m never going to forget." Williamson praised Peaty’s ability to bounce back from the disappointment of failing to place in the 100m breaststroke.
“Ten weeks ago he broke his foot so the courage it took to get out and do that is incredible,” Williamson said. “I don’t think anyone else would have had the strength to pull themselves together and do that.
“Without a doubt he’s the best breaststroke swimmer the world’s ever seen. (Peaty) might be in my sights but he is a long way down the barrel, he’s not even close to me right now (laughs).
“I swim my best when I enjoy myself. Having the crowd cheering so loudly, you can hear it – they’re cheering, even though they’re probably not cheering for me. I just go out there and enjoy myself, that’s really all I can hope for.“
Peaty said he considered not racing after the disappointment earlier in the week.
“My coach said ‘no because you’ll regret it, you’ll regret it the next day and every day for the rest of your life’. And I’m glad he was there to encourage me. It was really tricky, kind of coming into an event on the back of such a disappointment,” he said.
“So I’m just going down there with my heart and my soul.
“And I said like, I came from literally the lowest point two days ago and I thought, ’you know what, I’m a fighter. I’m not going to let anyone just take this and walk all over me’. I know this is to be my last Commonwealth so this was the day to do it.”