For Peaty’s sake, give us a chance
for the two-time former champion it felt like gold, because after seeing Peaty here this week, Van der Burgh said of his rival’s style: “It’s not even breaststroke anymore, his swimming is like a new kind of stroke, like a metamorphosis between butterfly and breast.
“You have to have a lot of power obviously to be able to swim and that is suited perfectly to his stroke.”
Peaty looked eager to deliver last night. Yet his usual fast start seemed to desert him as he came out of the blocks in fourth.
It may even have impacted on his record bid as Van der Burgh stole an early march. But by the time Peaty had hit his stride, the defending champion was out in front.
No one has overhauled a Peaty lead with 25m left to race and Peaty touched 0.04secs shy of the world-leading mark he posted in the semi-finals.
Instead of the smiles and general disbelief which had followed that swim, Peaty, who is still a 25-1 outsider for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was left to sit on the lane ropes and show off both muscles to the Duna Arena.
It was a similar showing to the one he put on after European gold in Berlin two years ago when his star status was only just becoming known outside of his then Derby base. Still, there are signs in the breaststroke that his rivals are keeping Peaty within their grasp, if only for a fleeting moment.
The seven other finalists had entered the final with sub 27-second times. Brazilian Felipe Lima, who finished fourth, had said that it was “simply awesome” to see Peaty break new ground but that he and others were “catching up”. Small comfort after Peaty’s pioneering week.
An hour later, Peaty was also involved in the mixed 4x100m medley relay, a frenetic race that saw GB finish fifth as the USA snatched away their title with a second world record of the day.
“It was quite rough,” said Peaty. “Normally I’m used to smooth water. It’s a learning curve for me.”
Max Litchfield put himself into contention for a medal in tonight’s 200m individual medley by qualifying third fastest in an event that had been dominated by Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte since 2003.
Georgia Davies qualified fourth for the 50m backstroke, while Duncan Scott, fifth in Rio, will start from an outside lane in the men’s 100m
freestyle.
It’s like a new kind of stroke