{"id":381306,"date":"2019-07-20T17:48:35","date_gmt":"2019-07-21T00:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=381306"},"modified":"2019-07-21T10:06:46","modified_gmt":"2019-07-21T17:06:46","slug":"adam-peaty-makes-sizzling-start-at-world-championships-with-57-5-gaunlet-to-own-wr-belief-in-project-56","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/adam-peaty-makes-sizzling-start-at-world-championships-with-57-5-gaunlet-to-own-wr-belief-in-project-56\/","title":{"rendered":"Adam Peaty Makes Sizzling Start At World Championships With 57.5 Gaunlet To Own WR & Belief In Project 56"},"content":{"rendered":"

The opening morning of the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju got off to a fast start with 400m freestyle title defenders Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, of the United States, and Chinese controversy<\/a> Sun Yang<\/strong> claiming lane 4 for finals, and Britain’s Adam Peaty<\/strong> throwing a 57.59 gauntlet to rivals and his own world record in the 100m breaststroke.<\/p>\n

“I knew a lot of them would be on 59s, into the 58s. That didn’t faze me. I was just having fun this morning,” Peaty said from the mixed zone. “I was quite rushed going out there because we have a time on the board (countdown clock for athletes) and it said half an hour to go but then they suddenly said (early) ‘right, go now’.”<\/p>\n

The rush meant that Peaty was unable to complete his usual, immediate pre-race prep but that was “part of it” said Peaty. “It felt good, just to get the feeling. It felt similar to the Olympics – but I’m carrying about 4kg more muscles. I’m here to have fun and put on a show.”<\/p>\n

Asked if he thought he could challenge the world record in Gwangju, Peaty said: “I don’t go to a meet NOT thinking I could challenge it. That’s the mindset I’ve got now. It’s a mark that’s really hard to reach. I wasn’t in the best shape for me at Europeans [in 2018] and I know that deep down. I’ve had much better preparation for this meet but sport is sport … and you never know what’s going to happen.”<\/p>\n

Still breathless in Rio from his Olympic victory, Peaty revealed “Project 56”, his ambition and work with coach Mel Marshall<\/strong> aimed at a 56sec swim at some stage in his career.<\/p>\n

Under 57 seconds at this meet? “If I chase it, it’s not going to come to me but if it comes to me, naturally, down that first 50, before putting pressure on that back end, it’s going to come to me and that’s the who way I’ve got to think now,” said Peaty. “I can’t go out there hunting it. It’s kind of like it’s going to have to come to me.”<\/p>\n

Australia and the United States are on top of the women’s and men’s 4×100 free relay heats respectively.<\/p>\n