Adam Peaty has two titles in his pantheon and whatever happens in Paris, his journey from Tokyo and back through a decade of victories, towering excellence and dedication has seen him overcome exceptional challenges. 

A reminder:

Adam Peaty, Crisis To Quest, Part 1 – Winter 2022 To Spring 2023; My Self-Destructive Spiral

Adam Peaty, Crisis To Quest - Part 2: Gratitude For His Gift, Peace & The Paris Passion Show

So, something of a miracle that he made it to Paris at all, let alone in 57.9 shape at British trials in April. Day 1 in Paris will give a hint of where the battle is going but the showdown is the only true test of those who make it through to the cauldron.

The post-Tokyo break turned into the most challenging season of his swim career, a broken foot keeping him out of the World Championships and then a race at the Commonwealth Games before he was ready, mentally and physically, to get back into top flight racing, that left him nursing not only the first defeat of his senior International career in the 100m but the humble-pie of a missed podium.

The events described in the links above followed. And during his time away in recovery, rehabilitation, restructuring and returning steadily to a competitive state, those who had been closest to him on clock and podium and closest to 200m champion and World record holder in the 200m, Australian Zac Stubblety-Cook, felt the force of a Chinese rival travelling a troubling trajectory on his way to becoming the first triple breaststroke World champion, his 50 and 100m times setting continental records, his 200m a World record. 

Comment: In April this year, he became embroiled in the China Crisis of 23 positive tests from January 2021 and is among those that have been targeted by anti-doping authorities under instruction from World Aquatics in its efforts to restore trust among athletes. His comments to his home audience this month indicate that Qin Haiyang not only feels he is innocent but intends to take the serious concerns of his rivals and 'Win More Medals & Silence Doubters'. 

He may win, his argument is likely to be a losing one for a variety of reasons, including the fact that doubts will not be dealt with until Wada and others deliver full transparency, publish the China report and all supporting documents, even if they wish to redact names to protect athletes caught in the middle of what has turned into an anti-doping cries and schism that is simply untenable in the line run. 

It has led to the IOC rewriting the Olympic Host Contract but those signing, such as the Salt Lake City winter Games team for 2034 and USOPC bosses have noted that had to agree but never expect the threat in the new contracts ever to be carried out. It would be the end of the Olympic Movement under governance structures long overdue for reconstruction. 

The point of placing those thoughts, facts and opinions in this event for guide? To show how politics and sport cannot be separated. It is simply untrue to say they are. They have been bed fellows from the rebirth in 1896 because the guardians of the Movement, despite Charter commitments, have themselves made the Games political. End of comment.

The 100m battle in Paris will not only be about Peaty and Qin. Double Olympic silver medallist of Tokyo Arno Kamminga, Nic Fink and Nicolo Martinenghi have all filled their own pantheons with prizes. Kamminga is already there but the rest are capable of joining the sub-58sec club. 

It would be astonishing if any join Peaty in the sub-57 club in Paris, the trajectory required a tower of trust too tall.

If Peaty were to win for a third time he would write several new lines in history. 

Read those and the full list of performances in the sub-58sec club, including all five of Peaty's World records, set in the first decade of dominance on clock and, for the most part, in races, too. Our History file includes the stats, the facts, flashbacks of Tokyo 2020ne and Fukuoka 2023 with an overview of Olympic 100m breaststroke history. 

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