On Sunday Peaty suffered his first loss in the 100m since 2014. On Monday he was accused of disrespect in the Commonwealth Games and sank into a dark funk. But on Tuesday, over a stunning 50 meters full of heart and grit, he rose again. And how. Petey may have been a bit off, but he was halfway there. And with sharks still lurking around him, he smartly fended them off to come home in 26.76 seconds. Australia’s Sam Williamson took silver, 0.21 back, while Scotland’s Ross Murdoch took bronze. “After the 100 meters I was at the lowest of the low,” Peaty said. “I had something that was almost guaranteed to be taken away from me. I took it for granted. I told Ross I didn’t want to do the 50m and he said I would regret it for the rest of my life. Today was the emotion and the rawness – that’s what you saw.” Asked to describe the 50m final, Peaty was blunt. “I didn’t know what I was doing,” he said. “I just went down with my heart and soul. They were very difficult games. But you know what? I’m a fighter. I thought: I’m not going to let anyone else come and get it. They will have to work hard for it.” That win was made all the sweeter by the fact that it meant Peaty, who returned to training just four weeks ago after suffering a broken toe, completed his streak of major titles. But as soon as he received his medal, Peaty walked over to his coach and mentor, Mel Marshall, and put it around her neck. Peaty also apologized for suggesting he was more focused on the 2024 Paris Olympics than winning gold in Birmingham. “As an athlete at that time I was at my lowest,” he said. “And he was my scapegoat. “I can be a torture bastard,” he added. “I was very bad yesterday, very bad because I had nothing to fight about. My spirit was low, my physical side was low, my mental side was low. Team England’s Brodie Williams poses with his gold medal, which he won by 1/100 of a second Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images “But it means a lot to me. You can see this. But I want to apologize to everyone who worked so hard to get to these Games.” Peaty also admitted that he had lost his hunger over the past year – and a part of himself, too. Now, though, England’s lionheart could feel it rushing back. “I wasn’t hungry, by any means,” he said. “You can easily say in any interview, ‘I’m ready, I’m confident.’ But you don’t feel ready until you’re out on those blocks – and I didn’t feel ready in the 100m. I felt lost. I didn’t know where I was. But I have this renewed hunger for Paris now. I have something to prove – and then I’m dangerous.” Earlier there was a surprise in the men’s 200m backstroke as England’s Brodie Williams pipped Australia’s Bradley Woodward. But there was heartbreak for England’s Luke Greenbank, who somehow came fifth despite leading most of the race. There was more success for England in the women’s 200m butterfly final as Laura Stephens won silver behind 18-year-old Australian Elizabeth Deckers. Another silver followed in the men’s 100m butterfly as James Guy produced a blistering second half to come home in 51.40, behind Canada’s Joshua Liedo Edwards – while a bronze was secured in the 4×100 medley.
