Adam Peaty breaks his own championship record to win 100m breaststroke gold

The 22-year-old bettered his championship record to finish in 57.47 seconds, but his own world record of 57.13secs set last August in winning Olympic gold in Rio was beyond him.

Adam Peaty celebrates after swimming to gold (Getty)

Olympic champion Adam Peaty claimed victory in the 100m breaststroke World Championship final in Budapest on Monday night but missed out on his hopes of setting a sub-57 second time.

The 22-year-old bettered his own championship record to finish in 57.47 seconds, but his own world record of 57.13secs set last August in winning Olympic gold in Rio was beyond him.

His nearest rival was Kevin Cordes of the United States, who was 1.32 seconds behind, while bronze went to Kirill Prigoda of Russia in 59.05.

Briton Ross Murdoch was eighth in 59.45 as Peaty retained the title he won in Kazan, Russia two years ago.

Peaty made a strong start in Monday’s final and almost broke the 50m breaststroke record in the first half of the race. By the halfway mark the race was won and next for Peaty was to beat his world record as per ‘Project 56.’

Peaty pushed hard and was on course to break the world record after 50m but was unable to sustain such a commanding pace and had to settle with a new championship record.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Peaty admitted improving his world record was always going to be a challenge. “You aim for world records each year but they’re a world record for a reason,” said Peaty, “that performance I did at the Olympics was just a completely different swim.”

Peaty with his gold medal on the podium (Getty)

Despite missing out on the world record, Peaty is hopeful of further glory in tomorrow’s 50m final. “I was on target for it but I just missed out but 50m tomorrow and I’ll see what I can get.”

Peaty ended with a rallying cry to any young aspirational swimmers. “If you’re a kid watching this now, you can be at the Olympics in four, eight years’ time and don’t let anything stop you.

“I’m trying to give it back home, get the young ones swimming, get the young ones racing and teach them to have no fear at all.”