Express & Star

Adam Peaty describes 'worst week' as he makes Olympic return after Covid

Adam Peaty described the past week as “the worst week of his life physically” after making his return from Covid-19 at Paris 2024.

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Adam Peaty (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader).

The Staffordshire swimming ace was back in action on Saturday morning at La Defense Arena, five days after testing positive.

Peaty helped the GB men’s 4x100 metre relay team, which also includes Shropshire’s Oliver Morgan, qualify fifth quickest for Sunday night’s final.

That is now the sole remaining focus for the 29-year-old, who did not swim in the mixed 4x100m relay final on Saturday evening.

Peaty tested positive for Covid just hours after missing out by just 0.02 seconds on a third consecutive Olympic 100m breaststroke title.

Describing his recovery since then, he said: "It's probably the worst week of my life in terms of how my body is, and that's no exaggeration.

"Everything's come at once. Since Covid, it's just every day waking up with a different thing.

"The medical team's been brilliant. I think it's just a victory getting on that start block there.

"Hopefully, that'll give my body a nice little push for tomorrow."

Peaty conceded he is unlikely to be at 100 per cent in the final and said: "I'm glad I've got a heat swim (done). It's my first hard stuff since I had the final on Sunday last week," he added.

"It's been a rough week, but hopefully we'll find a way through the next 36 hours."