ADAM PEATY has booked his spot on the Eurostar for the Paris Olympics.
The three-time Olympic gold medallist was empathically crowned national champion at the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford.
The Staffordshire Pool Terrier, 29, dominated the men’s 100 metres breaststroke final – the last race on day one of the seven-day British Swimming Championships.
Peaty won in a time of 57.94 seconds. James Wilby was second in 59.47 seconds.
That time by Peaty was the fastest in the world this year and quickest time from him since the Tokyo Olympics.
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Peaty said: "There is a lot more to come. I didn't give up. It is a message to the younger people in the crowd.
"It was great to race again. I'm blessed, I'm healthy and I want to race the best in the world. Some people shrink in the arena but I love it."
The world’s fastest-ever breaststroke operator took an extended break from the pool last year, citing general tiredness, a lack of motivation and a desire to “address the imbalance in my life”.
When he returned to the top level last autumn, the times had not gone any quicker – his world records still remain untouched – but a new guy has arrived to scoop up the medals.
Chinese swimming superstar Qin Haiyang, a four-time world champion, is the guy to beat in this event.
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But the competitor inside Peaty will relish the battle with his Far Eastern foe in Parisian waters in less than four months’ time.
Keanna MacInnes of the University of Stirling won a competitive women’s 200 metres butterfly finale as she touched home first in lane four in a time of 2:07.24.
Both she and second-placed Laura Stephens of Loughborough were well inside the nomination time of 2:07.96 and this bodes well for their individual exploits in the French capital.
