World Aquatics Championships 2024: Adam Peaty wins bronze in 100m breaststroke

Three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty took bronze in the men's 100m breaststroke at his first World Championships since 2019.

The 29-year-old Briton qualified fastest for the final in Doha with a time of 58.60 seconds but swam 59.10 in Monday's race.

Peaty is using the event as preparation to go for a third successive Olympic 100m gold in Paris this summer.

"Now it's about how we can fine-tune it for the Olympics," said Peaty.

"I think I went a bit too hard on that opening 50 metres but it's great to race against the best in the world and it's good to be part of - massive well done to these guys it's not an easy race."

The world record-holder finished behind American Nic Fink (58.57) - who led from start to finish - and Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi (58.84) to claim his 11th world medal.

The Briton is competing at his first worlds in five years after taking breaks to deal with periods of depression and problems with alcohol.

Peaty became the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title when he took gold in the 100m at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

He missed the 2022 World Championships because of a foot injury and was unavailable last year after stepping away from the sport to focus on his mental health, but told BBC Sport last week he was in a good place before the worlds in Doha.

Peaty is eyeing a return to the top of the podium at this summer's Games in the French capital to add to his three Olympic golds, eight world titles, 17 European titles and four golds at the Commonwealth Games.

Double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington believes Peaty will have "surprised himself" by winning a medal so soon after his return given his focus will be on getting back to his best for the Olympics.

"Adam is in the perfect place," she told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"He isn't going to fully be in his finest form because he doesn't want to peak now, he wants to peak in the summer. He wants to be on that Olympic team.

"So I think he's in perfect position to do that. And I actually think he surprised himself by getting back on the podium."

Adlington is confident that there is enough quality in the British team to help take the pressure off Peaty and secure "a handful of medals" in Paris.

"Obviously Adam realises he is the poster boy of the sport," she added. "We have got some other fantastic medallists, you've got people like Matt Richards, Tom Dean and Duncan Scott, but Adam is the name that everyone knows.

"I actually think people are just following him because they want to see him succeed, not to scrutinise him, but just to see him do well.

"The other guys are phenomenal swimmers in their own right and actually deserve so much more credit than they get because what they've achieved in the sport is absolutely phenomenal.

"If there wasn't an Adam Peaty, they would be the poster boys. We've got a great team. I think we're in great shape."

Fellow Briton James Wilby did not feature in the final after going out in the heats on Sunday.

Meanwhile, GB's Abbie Wood missed out on a medal in the women's 200m medley final, finishing sixth with a time of two minutes 11.20 seconds.

The 24-year-old finished fourth in the event at Tokyo 2020 and started strongly in Doha but faded away with American Kate Douglass winning gold (2:07.05), Canadian Sydney Pickrem taking silver (2:08.56) and China's Yu Yiting securing bronze (2:09.01).

Duncan Scott, a four-time world champion in the relay events, qualified in eighth place for the final of the men's 200m freestyle on Tuesday.

In the women's 100m backstroke, Britain's Lauren Cox and Kathleen Dawson both qualified for Tuesday's final after finishing third and fourth in their respective semi-finals.