I want to go even faster, says multiple champion as records tumble

Adam Peaty issued an ominous warning to his rivals by insisting he “wanted to go even faster” and had “more learning to do” after claiming his third consecutive world 100metres breaststroke title yesterday.

The 24-year-old Olympic champion was unable to better his 56.88sec world record set 24 hours previously but was still comfortably clear with a time of 57.14, beating British team-mate James Wilby into second place.

It meant Peaty moved clear of American Brendan Hansen and Hungary’s Norbert Rozsa as the first male swimmer to win three world titles over that distance and become the first man to win five world championship breaststroke medals.

“This is still very special to me, winning a world championship title and faster than I’ve ever done it before,” said Peaty, who begins his quest for a sixth individual world title – and third consecutive 50m breaststroke gold – in today’s heats and semi-finals.

“It’s obviously a little bit slower than last night as I made a tiny little error with speed on the first 50, but I think the most important thing going into next year is that I’m still learning about myself. It’s not like I’ve gone 56 and I’ve got no more learning to do.

“I paced it a little bit differently as [coach] Mel Marshall said to go for it in the first 50 and I ran out of steam a bit on the back end, but I’m still learning the event and learning about myself and it’s still 57.1.

“I’m very happy but, with that constant expectation I put on myself, there is a little bit of disappointment in me, but I think that’ll fuel me for next year as I want to go even faster now.

“It’s looking like Britain is a stronghold for breaststroke and it has been for a long time now.”

Wilby said this was his last stepping stone towards the Tokyo Olympics. “I’m really happy to get that silver medal and a Britain onetwo means an awful lot to us.”