Adam Peaty Returns after Physically ‘Probably the Worst Week of my Life’

Adam Peaty: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Adam Peaty Returns after Physically ‘Probably the Worst Week of my Life’

Adam Peaty returned to the water Saturday morning at the Paris Olympics for relay duty on Great Britain’s men’s medley, though the silver medalist in the 100 breast isn’t fully recovered from a bout of COVID-19.

Peaty tested positive after tying with American Nic Fink for silver in the 100 breast on Sunday night, his time .02 off the swim of Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi that ended Peaty’s bid for a third straight gold medal in the event.

The 29-year-old told media Saturday that his is not yet symptom-free and is also dealing with an ear infection in what has become a trying week.

“Probably the worst week of my life in terms of how my body feels, and that’s no exaggeration,” Peaty said. “Everything’s come at once since the COVID. It’s just every day waking up with a different thing. Medical team has been brilliant. It’s just a victory getting on that starting block there. Hopefully that will give my body a nice little push for tomorrow.”

Peaty, who went 59.05 in the individual swim, split 59.16 in prelims to get the Brits to finals in fifth place. That in itself is an accomplishment, since the Italian team that features the 100 breast champ (Martinenghi) and 100 back champ (Thomas Ceccon) was ninth to miss the final.

It’s a job done, then, and not an easy job for Peaty to have answered the call for.

“Obviously you need to be very safe and get through,” he said. “As you see, Italy didn’t make it back. You can’t be too complacent this morning. But I’m glad I got a heat swim. It’s my first hard stuff since I had the final on Sunday last week. It’s been a rough, rough week, but hopefully we’ll find a way through the next 36 hours.”

Peaty said he got back in the water on Wednesday. He’s hoping to grit his way through the next two days, with the final of the medley on Sunday. He could also be in play Saturday night for the mixed medley relay, Britain having qualified fifth.

Peaty pushed back on the notion of fear that his Olympics might be over because of COVID, choosing instead to call it “realism” about the situation. But he fought as hard as he could to get himself back.

“If I’m not well, I’m not well,” he said. “I’ve been brought up in a system by Mel (Marshall) that if you’re not well, you still go. I’ve only got two days left, and I’m not going to be 100 percent. But I can give my best effort.”

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