Adam Peaty targets world record in 100m breaststroke at 2018 Commonwealth Games
By Will Gilligan
Last Updated: 04/04/18 6:14pm
Adam Peaty is optimistic he can break his own world record at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The 23-year-old has won two world and two European titles, Great Britain's first gold of the 2016 Olympics in Rio and is on a four-year unbeaten run in the 100 metres breaststroke.
Peaty is now seeking to extend his dominance to the Gold Coast Games,which begin next week.
Although August's European Championships is the focus for British Swimming, and his training has been tailored accordingly, Peaty is optimistic he can shine in Australia.
"I swam fast in April last year, but not as fast as I did in Budapest at the World Championships," Peaty said, "You do have to sacrifice a lot of speed in the winter (training) block.
"Who knows? I could swim a world record and blow it out of the park.
"I feel physically fit, I feel mentally very healthy and confident, but all the puzzle has to come together for that special swim."
Peaty has the 11 fastest 100m breaststroke times in history and twice set the world record en route to winning gold in Rio in an astonishing time of 57.13 seconds.
Despite being the only person to have swum the 100m breaststroke in under 58 seconds, one of Peaty's major ambitions is to break the 57 second barrier - something he refers to as 'Project 56'.
"Project 56, I always say it doesn't matter when it happens, but it's going to happen," he added, "Hopefully I've got 10 years left in the sport and that's my main aim."
As the 50m is not an Olympic discipline, Peaty had suggested he would double up and compete over 200m, but he has hinted that was looking less likely as he considers his priorities in the sport.
"If you want to go for Project 56, you've got to retain a lot of muscle for that power," he added, "If you want to go for 200, you've got to lose a lot of the muscle.
"Is it worth it? Is it worth leaving a legacy, or becoming just a 57 swimmer for the rest of your life? It's something that's going to be hard to discuss."
Peaty is fond of the Commonwealth Games, which give him a rare opportunity to compete for England, rather than Britain.
"Commonwealths will always have a special place in my heart. It's the first competition where I launched my senior career," he added.
"I've built on that. In Europeans a few weeks after I got my first world record. I think that was a great stepping stone into the World Championships after, the Olympics, built the momentum.
"Europeans is British Swimming's main goal this season. But to go there, defend it, and bring it back for England as me - I'm very patriotic... I've got a lion on my arm, I don't know how you can be more patriotic than that.
"That's where I'll defend, hopefully, my four-year title of being undefeated. It's going to be hopefully a good celebration."
