AFP
Adam Peaty bounced back from a “devastating” defeat to top the qualifying times in the men’s 50m breaststroke on Monday as teen star Summer McIntosh lined up a Commonwealth Games medley double.
England’s world record holder Peaty, who has dominated the 100m breaststroke in recent years, finished a shock fourth in the event on Sunday.
He returned to the pool for the 50m heats on Monday admitting he had had just two hours’ sleep, but topped the times alongside South Africa’s Michael Houlie, with a swim of 27.10sec.
Peaty, who has three Olympic golds, said he did not “bother” warming up before Monday’s heat at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre.
“I just came in. I had two hours’ sleep. Obviously it was a devastating night for me,” he said.
“Came in, do what I do, treat it like a counties championship and just go for it, I guess.”
The 27-year-old, who missed the world championships in June after breaking his foot, said the past two years had been a challenge.
“The last two years have been very complicated — just because of various things like going into Olympics, having all that pressure paying off.
“I haven’t really had a winter block where I’ve reset, got my aerobic training in and gone, ‘hold on a minute’.
“I haven’t even had a chance to know where I am going. It’s almost like you get in a car without a destination.”
Canada’s McIntosh was quickest in qualifying for Monday evening’s women’s 200m individual medley final, touching in a time of 2min 12.12sec.
The 15-year-old is targeting a second gold in Birmingham after winning the 400m individual medley.
The rising star won two gold medals at the world championships in Budapest in June, in the 400m medley and the 200m butterfly.
Another teenager, Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, was quickest in the women’s 100m freestyle heats in a time of 54.28.
Australian Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown topped the charts in the women’s 200m backstroke, in a time of 2:10.95.
Canada’s Joshua Liendo (51.36) was fastest in qualifying for the men’s 100m butterfly final.
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, the Olympic champion in the women’s 200m and 400m freestyle, was second in the heats for the 800m freestyle behind compatriot Lani Pallister.
In Monday’s evening session there will be finals in the men’s 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 4x200m freestyle relay and in the women’s 200m individual medley, 200m backstroke and the 50m butterfly.