Adam Peaty Relishing The Chance To Blaze A Pioneering Trail Once More At LA 2028
For Adam Peaty, the prospect of once again making history is part of the allure of LA 2028 following the addition of the 50m breaststroke.
The 30-year-old has three gold and as many silver medals across three Olympics at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Adam Peaty after his 56.88 WR: Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
His last outing in the French capital saw him finish joint second alongside Nic Fink in the 100m breaststroke, 0.02 behind Nicolo Martinenghi as he fell just shy of winning his third straight title.
When he spoke to Swimming World in December, Peaty was in no rush to make a decision about his future despite the possibility of the 50s being introduced in 2028. He’d picked the brains of Michael Phelps who’d returned from retirement following London 2012 to compete at Rio 2016 where he won five golds and silver to end his career as the most-decorated Olympian with 28 medals.
The men’s 50 free final in Paris had also been a source of encouragement for the eight-time world champion where medallists Cam McEvoy (30), Ben Proud (29) and Florent Manaudou – the oldest in the final at 33 – had a combined age of 92.
However, the International Olympic Committee’s announcement last week that all the 50 strokes will be on the 2028 Games programme means that Peaty will have a tilt at a fourth Games. He
Adam Peaty Goes 25.95 WR: Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA
Speaking at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships, Peaty told Swimming World how he embraces the chance of once more breaking new ground as a trailblazer with the Briton holding both the 50 and 100m breaststroke world records of 25.95 and 56.88 respectively.
And he’s also relishing the excitement he expects to be generated at the SoFI Stadium which will stage the swimming and where up to 38,000 fans will be in attendance each day.
“Of course, yeah,” he said. “First man under 58, first man under 57, first man under 26. I kind of like to choose those firsts, I like to be a pioneer. Obviously, that’s what I’d aim for.
“But it’s also the SoFI: I’m lucky enough where I can spend a lot of time out in Los Angeles so I can get a feel for the city and I love it, absolutely love it. It’s an incredible place. I was there in January when the wildfires were all happening. I think it’s going to be one of the best Olympics we’ve seen in a very long time and the SoFI is absolutely going to pop off – I just can’t wait.”
