But finally the answer to the question of how do you stop Adam Peaty came in the more human form of a damaged leg and James Wilby’s inspired charge.
Fortunately, there are twists and turns and then there’s Petey losing a 100m breaststroke race. It had never happened before. Not once in a grand final in a 50m pool in eight years. Not many close things either.
Swimmer James Wilby wins Commonwealth Games 100m breaststroke gold
Wilby pipped Team GB team-mate and big favorite Adam Peaty (above) to the title on Sunday
And then it kind of raced to dispel the idea that cheap gold can be mined at the Commonwealth Games.
He didn’t get one of those – the prize went to Wilby, among the many talented English swimmers who live in one of the biggest shadows in all of sport. But here’s the thing – Petey also didn’t get the silver or bronze.
He was fourth. Empty tank and empty hands. And human indeed, having once said that he felt “like a god” every time he walked into the pool.
With his record you can get away with that sort of talk – it takes a heaving chest to back up three Olympic gold medals, eight at worlds and 17 at European level.
But the gods don’t break a leg doing routine stretches like Peaty did 10 weeks ago, and with such dumb luck and basic physiology an incredible streak ended.
Peaty, who had not lost at the event since 2015, sportingly hugged Wilby after the incident
The 27-year-old had taken the lead with all but 25 meters to go, but then had very little to give. Very little training to go on, having shed his protective boot just four weeks ago.
His time of 59.86 was nearly three seconds off the last of his many world records, but more importantly behind the 59.25 clocked by Wilby, who had fallen behind at the turn but had a hot second 50m.
Zac Stubblety-Cook, the Australian 200m champion, was second and team-mate Sam Williamson was third.
“It took a broken leg to take that away from me,” Peaty said. “But I chose to fight. I don’t really care about stats and how long I’m undefeated. It was a very slow final for me. I can’t even remember when I went so late. Of course it’s a shock.
“I felt really good at 50. I just don’t know what went wrong. With 25 to go I had nothing in the tank. Sometimes you just have a bad race.
Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook took second with compatriot Sam Williamson taking bronze
“In the next two years, it’s how I’m going to get to the top in Paris. Apparently there is a lot wrong with my training program. It is what it is. Sometimes when you don’t compete all season it bites you when it matters.’
The kicker for Peaty is that if he matched his semi-final time of 59.02 seconds, he would have won this final.
But that’s where the depleted reserves came in – after just five races all year and so little practice lately, he just didn’t have the gas for the trip.
He goes into the 50m again on Monday, having lost that title at this stage four years ago – his last defeat at any distance. What does this mean for it? “F*** knows,” as he put it, and yes, quite a bit.
And so to Wilby, a world silver medalist in his own right and holder of world concert relay gold.
The shame is that a Peaty defeat, so rare, will always be seen through such a lens, but it inevitably does injustice to Wilby’s stunning performance, which adds to his 200m silver last week.
How nice he could spend his day. “Adam is an amazing athlete,” he said. “Right now, I was able to catch him a little bit, but he’s probably going to kick my ass later in the calendar. But I’m proud of it.’ Well done.
Earlier, Paralympic gold medalist Alice Tye won the S8 100m backstroke, six months after having her right leg amputated below the knee due to worsening bilateral ailments.
James Guy also took bronze in the 200m butterfly, the same event in which South Africa’s Chad Le Clos equaled his Commonwealth Games medal record with 18 by claiming silver.
A fine achievement, but like so many, it was completely overshadowed by a home favorite with a fragile leg.
