Adam Peaty settles for silver in 50m breaststroke
Adam Peaty showed his human side in the pool by losing his first major long course final in four years before demonstrating his human side out of it with his gracious acceptance of defeat to friend and rival Cameron van der Burgh.
You have to go back to Glasgow 2014 for a trace of Peaty’s last loss over 50m or 100m breaststroke in a major competition – and just like he did then, it was South African Van der Burgh who bested Peaty by four hundredths of a second.
This has unquestionably been a difficult week for the Olympic champion, who has been off his times and suffered his first real roadblock since he burst onto the scene in Glasgow.
And yet after the initial frustrations at his inability to meet his own lofty standards in the 100m breaststroke – which he still won – he had greater perspective after silver in the 50m.
He said: “As an athlete, obviously I'm disappointed. I've never had a 50m Commonwealth title. I've had the rest, but not this one.
“As a person and as a character in the sport, away from the actual racing, I'm so happy for Cam. He's put that work in, got that transition right where he's enjoying the sport and performing.
“I think I've got to take a look at myself now, how do I get that enjoyment fully out of it? Because that's where my performance is going to shift on to, hopefully, newer heights.
“Some people have down days and today was a down day for me, for my body. Mentally I was there, but my body wasn't. I was 90 per cent, probably working at 95 per cent. But to win races like that, when it comes down to a very fine margin, I need to be 100 per cent.
“Even though it's a silver, I'm more happy with that silver than I was the gold the other day. I know where to improve now, know where to get that performance from and it gives me a reality check.
“Even if you are the best in the world, world record holder, you can still be beaten. I think that's the most valuable lesson from today.”
Meanwhile up in Townsville Dominique Allen could do little to prevent England women’s basketball team slumping to a heavy defeat to Australia.
Allen finished scoreless in 23 minutes of play as England were hammered 118-55 by the host nation.
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