Adam Peaty claims another European gold as Great Britain move top of medal table

Olympic champion Adam Peaty won his third European title of the week with gold in the 50m breaststroke in Budapest.

Pa Sport Staff
Saturday 22 May 2021 22:36 BST
Adam Peaty won his third gold of the week
Adam Peaty won his third gold of the week

Great Britain top the European Swimming Championships medal table going into the final day of competition after gold for Adam Peaty kick-started a medal rush on Saturday evening.

Olympic champion Adam Peaty won his third European title of the week with gold in the 50m breaststroke in Budapest

The 26-year-old, who had already finished first in the 100m and mixed 4x100m medley relay events, registered a winning time of 26.21 seconds.

Britain’s mixed 4x100m freestyle relay team capped a memorable evening in the Hungarian capital by also claiming gold, while there were further medals for Anna Hopkin, Abbie Wood and Luke Greenbank.

Britain has won 20 medals from 34 events this week: nine gold, seven silver and four bronze.

“It was almost perfect execution there,” Peaty told British Swimming.

“I really just wanted that win and that’s what it’s all about – finding a win when you can’t get your best – it was just about getting my hand on the wall first.

“It’s a great feeling and I’m born to race.”

Great Britain celebrates after winning the mixed 4 x 100 metres relay final

The triumphant relay quartet of Duncan Scott, Tom Dean, Hopkin and Freya Anderson equalled the Championship record time of three minutes 22.07 secs.

Earlier, Hopkin and Wood each claimed their maiden international individual medals, securing 100m freestyle bronze and 200m individual medley silver respectively.

Meanwhile, Greenbank, who broke the British 200m backstroke record in both the heats and semi-finals, was pipped to gold by Russia’s double world champion Evgeny Rylov, finishing 0.16 secs behind.

Ben Proud progressed to the final of the men’s 50m freestyle, while Cassie Wild and Katie Shanahan booked spots in the medal race of the 200m backstroke.

Elsewhere, Sarah Vasey is through to the 50m breaststroke final and former world champion James Guy has the podium in his sights after dominating his 100m Butterfly semi-final.

At the World Para Swimming European Open Championships in Madeira, Ellie Robinson claimed S6 50m Butterfly gold, while Jessica-Jane Applegate completed her perfect record for the week by winning the S14 100m butterfly.

Rio 2016 champion Robinson led from the first few strokes to finish clear of Republic of Ireland’s Nicole Turner in a time of 36.39.

Applegate then secured her fourth European title of the meet, recording a winning time of 1:07.47 to add to victories in the S14 100m freestyle, S14 200m freestyle and the S14 100m backstroke.

Britain’s team of eight athletes finished ninth in the medal table, with five golds, one silver and three bronzes.

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