Triple Olympic champion Adam Peaty has declared himself fit to compete at next week’s Commonwealth Games.
Peaty broke his foot performing a lunge at his Tenerife training camp in May. The injury ruled him out of last month’s World Championships and meant he was a doubt to be part of the swimming team for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The 27-year-old was forced to wear a protective boot as a result and spent six weeks out of the water as he nursed himself back to health. In fact, Peaty has only been back in the pool swimming breaststroke for three weeks and diving for a few days.
However, the three-time Commonwealth champion has confirmed he will be in the water at the home Games. Peaty will compete for four gold medals, although he is unsure how well he will perform.
“I’m going in there blindfolded,” said Peaty after collecting his Team England kit on Wednesday. “I have not got a clue where I'm going to be. I've probably got better odds guessing what number is going to land on a roulette table.
“I haven't raced since April at the British trials and I only raced once before that. Normally, I've raced 15 times by now, if not more. But I feel good, I feel fresh, I feel ready to go. I've got no expectations, I'm just going go see where I am at.
“I couldn't have worked harder or put more into my preparation. Now it's about the home crowd in Birmingham - let's have it!”
Peaty is motivated to impress and win by the opportunity to swim in front of his one-year-old son George, who will be in attendance at a packed Sandwell Aquatics Centre, which is only an hour away from where he grew up in Uttoxeter. He added: “That's going to give me an extra 10 per cent when I see my boy in the crowd.
“There's no feeling like that. He came to trials in April in Sheffield but this will be the first time he's been at a major championships. Birmingham is as close to home as it's ever going get for me. I can't wait.
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“Crowds are what make me do what I do. When you take that away, it's weird. I don't like it.”
Peaty arrives at the Commonwealth Games hoping to recapture the form that saw him dominate the Olympics in Tokyo last summer and win the Sportsman of the Year award by the Sports Journalists’ Association. He will represent England in the 50m and 100m breaststroke in Birmingham while he will also compete in the 4x100m men’s and mixed medley relays.
“The 50m Commonwealth title is the only one I haven't won, so I better not get DQd,' he added. “But part of the reason for my success over the years is that I treat every single race as one I haven't won. With that mindset, I'm very focused on what I need to do.”
