(L-R) º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ-based Adam Peaty with his silver medal following the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final alongside joint silver medalist Nic Fink. Image provided by PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo.
Peaty takes silver to win º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s first medal in Paris
Adam Peaty won an extraordinary joint-silver medal in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke after an explosive final in Paris. Â
The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ-based athlete shared silver with the United States’ Nic Fink as both swimmers came in at the same time – 59.05 seconds. Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi won gold in 59.03.
Peaty, who was on a quest to win three gold medals in consecutive games, ultimately missed out on the top podium place by a mere 0.02 seconds.
In packed field, the 29-year-old was well placed with 25m to go but had to settle for silver as Martinenghi came through in the outside lane to win a surprise gold.
Silver for Peaty caps a remarkable achievement following a hiatus from the sport to focus on his mental health and well-being. His podium place in Paris takes his major games total to three golds and three silvers – at three separate championships.
Speaking to the BBC following a dramatic night he said: "It has been a very long way back. I look at the score there and you would never think in your wildest dreams that it would be 59 seconds to win it.
"I gave it my absolute all. I executed it as well as I could. It's not about the end goal, it's about the process. It doesn't matter what time it says on the scoreboard, I think in my heart I have already won.
“I'm so happy that I can race against the best in the world and still come joint-second. In my heart I have won, these are happy tears. I gave my absolute best every single day and I cannot be upset about that.
"I'm almost an older man here now. I can't have that relentless pursuit every single day without a sacrifice of some sort - they come in every single form. It's very hard to compete with the younger ones, so I'm very happy with that."
For all the latest º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ news around major global sporting events, visit the University’s dedicated website here: /sport/athletes-global-stage/
Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #Lboro2Paris
Notes for editors
Press release reference number: 24/111
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2024 QS World University Rankings – the eighth year running – and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is ranked 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2025, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2024 and 10th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
(L-R) º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ-based Adam Peaty with his silver medal following the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final alongside joint silver medalist Nic Fink. Image provided by PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo.
Adam Peaty won an extraordinary joint-silver medal in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke after an explosive final in Paris. Â
The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ-based athlete shared silver with the United States’ Nic Fink as both swimmers came in at the same time – 59.05 seconds. Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi won gold in 59.03.
Peaty, who was on a quest to win three gold medals in consecutive games, ultimately missed out on the top podium place by a mere 0.02 seconds.
In packed field, the 29-year-old was well placed with 25m to go but had to settle for silver as Martinenghi came through in the outside lane to win a surprise gold.
Silver for Peaty caps a remarkable achievement following a hiatus from the sport to focus on his mental health and well-being. His podium place in Paris takes his major games total to three golds and three silvers – at three separate championships.
Speaking to the BBC following a dramatic night he said: "It has been a very long way back. I look at the score there and you would never think in your wildest dreams that it would be 59 seconds to win it.
"I gave it my absolute all. I executed it as well as I could. It's not about the end goal, it's about the process. It doesn't matter what time it says on the scoreboard, I think in my heart I have already won.
“I'm so happy that I can race against the best in the world and still come joint-second. In my heart I have won, these are happy tears. I gave my absolute best every single day and I cannot be upset about that.
"I'm almost an older man here now. I can't have that relentless pursuit every single day without a sacrifice of some sort - they come in every single form. It's very hard to compete with the younger ones, so I'm very happy with that."
For all the latest º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ news around major global sporting events, visit the University’s dedicated website here: /sport/athletes-global-stage/
Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #Lboro2Paris
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2024 QS World University Rankings – the eighth year running – and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is ranked 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2025, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2024 and 10th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.
