Team GB’s Adam Peaty storms to the Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Adam Peaty dominated Sunday’s Men’s 100-metre breaststroke semi-finals to qualify for Monday morning’s final as the Staffordshire-born swimmer aims to defend his Olympic crown by clinching back-to-back gold medals.

Semi Final Heat One

In lane one was Fabian Schwingenscholgl who was representing Germany, next to Italy’s Federico Poggio in lane two.

Britain’s Wilby competed from lane three, with Arno Kamminga from the Netherlands in lane four, alongside the heat’s second Italian Nicolo Mertinenghi in lane five.

Home-hero Mura Ryuya of Japan swam in lane seven. The 25-year-old was sandwiched by Brazil’s Felipe Lima and Kirill Prigoda representing Russia in lanes six and eight respectively.

Off the blocks it was Schwingenschlogl who got the best start and led once the swimmers broke the surface, however Mertinenghi got back into the race lead ahead of Lima and Prigoda after the first 25 meters.

After the turn with 50 meters swam Dutchman Kamminga led the way, instantly followed by Mertinenghi and Lima – the top three at the half way point of the heat were split by just a quarter of a second.

Into the final length of the first semi-final, Schwingenschlogl broke into the top three, but he as well as Lima and Prigoda were neck-and-neck behind the top two of Kamminga and Mertenenghi.

As the swimmers approached the final 25 meters, the battle between the leaders was inseparable before meters later, Team GB’s James Wilby broke into the top three with just 10 meters remaining.

When the swimmers touched the timing boards it was the Kamminga who won the first semi-final with a time of 58.19 seconds, ahead of Italy’s Matinenghi and Wilby in third.

Rounding out the order was Schwingenschlogl, Russia’s Prigoda, Lima, Japan’s Ryuya and Federico Poggio.

Semi Final Heat Two

Out of lane one was Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas, next to Ilya Schmanovich of Belarus in lane two and China’s Yan Zibei who swam out of lane three.

Superstar Adam Peaty went from lane four, with all eyes on the Brit to post another time to add to his collection of the top 20 World-topping 100 meter breaststroke times.

The heat’s two Americans, Michael Andrew and Andrew Wilson started alongside to each other in lanes five and six.

In the final two lanes were Germany’s Lucas Joachim Matzerath who swam from lane seven, and Russia’s Anton Chupkov in lane eight.

Off the start it was a clean start from all competitors with no false starts, but it was Peaty who got the best, however Andrew led when they resurfaced. The Brit soon retook the lead and was already pulling away after the heat’s first 25 meters.

On the turn, a place which once was a weak point for Peaty, the Team GB star was still ahead of Shymanovich and Andrew – The Staffordshire man was just 0.02 seconds behind his World Record split after the first 50 meters.

As the swimmers resurfaced, the 26-year-old was now leading by three-quarters of a body-length as the constant tempo of his long, powerful strokes helped him to edge even further away from Shymanovich and Zibei into the final quarter of the heat.

With his fellow competitors slowing down and tiring, Peaty showed no sign of stopping as he continued to speed up and pull away.

In the end it was Peaty who finished first by some margin with a 57.63s, nearly a second ahead of China’s Zibei in second and America’s Andrew in third.

Rounding out the finishers were Shymanovich, Wilson, Matzerath, Sidlauskas and Russia’s Anton Chupkov.

What’s Next?

Peaty advances through to Monday morning’s breaststroke final, again held at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, as he aims to become the first British swimmer to retain their Olympic title.

His compatriot James Wilby will also appear in the final as his time in heat one was good enough to see him qualify.

American aces Andrew and Wilson also qualified – alongside Belarus’ Shymanovich and Yan Zibei of China.

Only two heat one swimmers made it through, Dutch winner Arno Kamminga and Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi represent the first semi-final in the final.

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