Adam Peaty insists he arrives in Paris ready to "attack" a third-straight Olympic triumph in the 100m breaststroke
Peaty, who is a 16-time European Champion, won his first gold medal for Team GB in 2016, the first by a British male in 24 years, and has held the title ever since.
He became the first British swimmer ever to retain an Olympic title in Tokyo, and is eyeing a hat-trick of titles.
The 29-year-old also holds the world records in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke, yet getting to the Paris Olympics was far from straightforward.
From 2014 to 2022, Peaty was unstoppable, breaking the 100m record on five occasions while also claiming several world, European and Commonwealth titles.
But with the world at his feet, things came crashing down. In fact, was it not for this Olympics, he may never have returned to the pool.
“If it wasn’t for the Olympics I don’t think I’d be still swimming,” Peaty told Eurosport. “I’m going to attack for this title, not defend.
“I think I’ve cracked the code of balance, but also being able to train really hard for very long periods of time, knowing when I burn out or I’m pushing too hard, and listening to my team at the same time.
“So I think this is my favourite time to train but I also had to take three or four months off from the sport completely because I burned out.
“It cost me that kind of training period, but without that I would have just done the same old stuff and probably wouldn’t have even made it to the Olympics or the Olympic qualifiers, because I’d have completely burned out from the sport.
“People see the end result, they’ll see you race or compete at the end of the day, but they won’t see the years and years and years of hard mornings, hard evenings, thousands of metres, gym sessions in the freezing cold.
“People don’t see that stuff, they only see the 1%, if that. It’s 0.1%.”
But in Peaty's absence, a new force has taken the pool by storm, with China’s Qin Haiyang establishing himself as the dominant force.
Haiyang won the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke at the 2023 World Championships, becoming the second-fastest man in 100m history behind Peaty.
Peaty returned to claim bronze at the World Championships this year and then won the British trials in April in a time of 57.94s.
“I’ve been given a gift that I put myself in extreme pain for a very long time and quite enjoy it,” he continued. “Not many people can do that.
“I enjoy the hard work because it keeps me busy. It has to be hard all the time.
“That’s the most powerful thing. You don’t do it for the Olympic glory, you don’t do it for the medals, you do it to recognise the gift that you’ve been given.
“If I know I’ve worked the hardest and I get to the start line at the Olympics and I couldn’t have done anything more that gives me peace, because win or lose you’ll be happy because you’ve enjoyed the journey.”
Tullis-Joyce expects more success from USA under Hayes
Phallon Tullis-Joyce is excited by the job Emma Hayes has already done with the United States and predicts she will have even more success in the role.
Hayes left Chelsea after 12 years in charge in May, going out on a high after leading the Blues to a fifth consecutive Women's Super League triumph on the final day of last season.
It was her seventh title overall with Chelsea, also winning five FA Cups and two League Cups, as well as leading the team to the Champions League final in 2020-21.
Hayes began her tenure as the USA boss in May and helped the team to a record-extending fifth Olympic gold in Paris, as an undefeated tournament ended with a 1-0 win over Brazil in August.
Having made such a bright start to life with the USWNT, Tullis-Joyce, who has never played for her national team, is expecting great things from Hayes.
Speaking at the Barclays WSL's 2024-25 season launch media day, the goalkeeper told Stats Perform: "I think that's incredible for US soccer to have such a notable coach.
"Everyone has seen how great she's done in this league alone, and I'm excited to see what she does with the US Women's National Team.
"She's already done an amazing job, so I can imagine she's going to do so many more great things for time to come, especially for the younger generations."
One of the players who did not feature at the Olympics for the USWNT was Alex Morgan, who recently announced her retirement from football.
Morgan, regarded as a USA legend, is one of the most decorated players in the history of the team, winning back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019 and clinching Olympic gold in 2012.
She is ninth on the all-time appearance charts having earned 224 caps, and since her international debut in March 2010, no player has been involved in more goals for the USA than her (175, 123 goals, 52 assists).
Tullis-Joyce was full of praise for the former striker and explained how she drove her to improve after coming up against her.
"Just massive respect for Alex Morgan, she's definitely a player that I've looked up to as an American," Tullis-Joyce said.
"She was one of the ones that we saw on the national team constantly just shredding goalkeepers left and right.
"Honestly, I'm learning from her how to protect my goal a little bit better. I had the fortunate opportunity to play against her several times.
"Honestly, she just seems like such a great person. And I wish her all the best in her retirement, especially after what she's done for women's football."
T&T’s Richards receives additional financial support from Ministry of Sport and Community Development
Olympic 400m finalist Jereem Richards on Wednesday has been rewarded with additional financial support from Trinidad & Tobago’s Ministry of Sport and Community Development.
The 30-year-old, who finished fourth in the 400m final in Paris in a national record 43.78, collected a cheque for $187,500 from acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, David Roberts, at its head office in Port of Spain.
“Jereem’s performance at the recent Paris 2024 Olympics games and his subsequent bronze medal at the Diamond League, showed true grit and a determination to succeed,” T&T’s Minister of Sport, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, told Trinidad Express.
“We at the Ministry are committed to ensuring that athletes are given all that they need to reach their highest levels of performance,” she added.
The funding was awarded under the Elite Athlete Assistance Programme (EAAP) designed to help athletes like Richards to cover costs including training, international competition and travel fees as well as other essential expenses.
A Ministry release on September 11 stated that, “similar to other athletes, the Ministry has continuously supported Richards’ athletic development which allowed him to successfully compete on the international stage. In 2019, Jereem Richards was awarded $125,000 and $187,500 in 2021. In 2022, he received $250,000 and in 2023 he was awarded a further $250,000.”
Richards is also a World Indoor 400m champion from 2022, a two-time Commonwealth Games 200m champion from 2018 and 2022 and a World Championship 200m bronze medallist from 2017.
September 27 declared National Holiday in honour of Olympic champion Julien Alfred: some say it's not enough
In a historic moment for Saint Lucia, September 27 will officially be declared "Julien Alfred Day," a national holiday in honor of Julien Alfred, who became the first athlete from the island to win an Olympic gold medal. Alfred made history by claiming gold in the 100 meters with a lifetime best and national record of 10.72 seconds, and also secured a silver medal in the 200 meters at the Paris Olympic Games. No St Lucian athlete had ever won an Olympic medal before her extraordinary achievement.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre made the announcement during a pre-cabinet press briefing on Monday, unveiling the grand celebrations planned for Alfred's return to the island. Alfred, who has become a national hero, will return to Saint Lucia on September 24 for the first time since her Olympic triumph. A series of events has been organized to mark the occasion, including a motorcade, school rallies, and a mural unveiling, culminating in a national holiday on September 27.
The celebrations will begin on September 24 when Alfred returns to Saint Lucia, where she will be greeted with a motorcade along the East Coast. On September 25, national school rallies will be held at Soufriere Mini Stadium and La Resource Playing Field to celebrate her achievements. The following day, September 26, Alfred will visit The Ciceron Primary School for the unveiling of a mural in her honour, followed by what officials have described as "massive announcements."
"Julien Alfred Day" will be celebrated with a free concert at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on the evening of the holiday, with Saint Lucians being encouraged to come out in large numbers to honor their national icon.
In response to the Prime Minister's announcement, citizens expressed their gratitude and pride, while also calling for further recognition of Alfred's accomplishments. Some suggested that Alfred should be awarded a diplomatic passport and the keys to the city of Castries. Others proposed the establishment of a Julien Alfred Fund for elite athletes and a legacy project aimed at developing sports in Saint Lucia to a world-class level.
Alfred’s achievements have not only brought immense pride to Saint Lucia but have also placed the island on the global athletics map. Her gold and silver medals at the Paris Olympics have inspired a new generation of athletes in Saint Lucia, and the celebrations are expected to be a momentous occasion of national unity and pride.
With the announcement of "Julien Alfred Day," Saint Lucians are set to celebrate not only Alfred's success but also the potential of their small island to produce world-class athletes who can compete and succeed on the biggest stages in sport.
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