England’s James Wilby wins 100m breaststroke gold… with hot favourite Adam Peaty finishing down in FOURTH after losing his first race in the event since 2014!
- English swimmer James Wilby has won gold in the 100metre breaststroke event
- Team GB team-mate and favourite Adam Peaty tried his best but came in fourth
- Peaty, whose last defeat in the event was in 2015, recently returned from injury
British swimmer James Wilby has taken gold in the 100metre breaststroke, pipping team-mate and favourite Adam Peaty to the title.
Wilby, who took silver in the 200m breaststroke final, was a surprise winner at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Sunday evening.
Peaty, 27, had not lost in the event since 2015 but has recently returned from injury and did not have an ideal preparation going into the event.
Swimmer James Wilby has taken gold in the Commonwealth Games 100metre breaststroke
Wilby beat Team GB team-mate and big favourite Adam Peaty (above) to the title on Sunday
Peaty, who had not lost in the event since 2015, sportingly hugged Wilby after the event
Wilby said: ‘Yeah, I mean I love racing and racing alongside him (Peaty) is always so much fun. Tonight, I was able to execute my race the best I could. At the end of the day we’re both incredible racers, we all know what Adam is capable of.
‘We’ll both be back to race again and race each other and It’s always going to be an exciting one. But that one was really fun.
‘(Sport is about) taking your opportunities and racing the best race you can on the night. I’m so happy with that, so thrilled. There’s more to come, there’s always more races.’
Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook took the silver medal with compatriot Sam Williamson grabbing bronze.
Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook took second with compatriot Sam Williamson grabbing bronze
Peaty said: ‘Yeah, when it comes down to the race sometimes it doesn’t go to plan. I was hurting from the 50m but you know that’s a lack of training, lack of racing… it is what it is. I can’t overthink it.
‘I’m a fighter and sometimes you have got to have these moments to keep fighting. Always learning. This is a huge moment for me really because I’m at a part in my career where you choose to go on or keep at it or whatever…
‘I know this is probably my last Commonwealth Games so it’s great. Wilby had a great race. I was a lot slower than yesterday, it was just a bad race.’
When asked if reaching the Paris Olympics was his next goal, he added: ‘Yeah of course. The next two years are going to be huge – how we attack that now, I don’t know… it’s back to the drawing board and back to training.’