The 28-year-old, not only won the race but sealed it with a world record time of 57.13 seconds.
The Uttoxter swimmer who won 2 Golds in Glasgow’s Commenwealth Games two years ago said after “It’s so surreal to get Team GB’s first Gold. I came out tonight and took the first 50 easy and came back with everything I have got. I did it for my country and that means so much to me.”
Peaty, who will be lining up for another gold medal on Friday, when he competes in the 4x100m medley relay, becomes the first swimmer to win gold at this programme since 1988 when David Moorhouse took the honours in Seoul.
Later on in the evening, more success was to follow for Team GB in the pool, when Jazz Carlin took the silver medal in the women’s 400m Freestyle.
Carlin, who suffered heartbreak 4 years ago, when she failed to be selected for the London games, came 2nd to American swimmer Katie Ledecky.
“I can’t believe it, am on the edge of tears,” Carlin told the BBC. “”I’m so grateful for everyone’s support back home and anyone who got up to watch in the ridiculous hours of the morning – I’m just over the moon. I wanted to come here and give it absolutely everything and have no regrets. Sometimes you swim and think I could have a bit left, but I wanted to get myself into the race rather than always having to catch up and then absolutely go for it.
“I could see Katie was a bit in front and having a great swim so I just tried to hang on. I’m gobsmacked to come away with silver.
Of Peaty’s success, Carlin was delighted. “I was in the pool room watching Adam and I had goosebumps on the block. To see someone who’s your team-mate achieve a new world record and become Olympic champion right before you swim definitely got me pumped up,” said the Welsh swimmer.
