Adam Peaty won Team GB’s first gold medal at Tokyo 2020 and became the first British swimmer to successfully defend an Olympic title with victory in the men’s 100m breaststroke. 

Britain's new double Olympic champion recorded a winning time of 57.37 seconds, six tenths ahead of silver medallist Arno Kamminga from the Netherlands, while Nicolo Martinenghi collected bronze for Italy.

“I haven't felt this good since 2016, it means the world to me,” said Peaty, 26, talking to BBC Sport at poolside. 

"I thought I'd had the best preparation in my life but then you get to the morning of a finals then you throw that all out of the window.

“That's what it takes to be an athlete. It's not about who is the best all year round, it's who is the best on the day, it's about who is most adaptable and who ******* wants it more.

"I did feel a little pressure but it was a good pressure. I needed to give myself an edge."

Peaty dominated from start to finish, as you would expect from the world record holder and the man who has now put in the top 16 fastest times in his event. 

"You can do whatever you want in your own pool, in your own nation," he added.  

“But when it comes down to it I am not racing for a time, I am racing myself. 

"This has closed a chapter for me. It was unfinished business and I want to say thank you to the nation for being behind me for the last five years.

“I want to say thank you to my family, my gorgeous partner and gorgeous son.  They've been with me every step of the way.

"This victory wasn't mine, it was the British swimming team, it was my family, it was my friends. 

"There's people I've had to put on the sideline because I knew it was going to take absolutely every single bit of energy to get to this point. 

"I'm glad. I am just so ******* relieved. Sorry about the swearing, I'm very emotional."

Having collected his gold medal, Peaty spoke to the press about the challenges thrown up by the restrictions at Tokyo 2020. 

"This Olympics is very different to everything. You haven't got a crowd to rely on. You have to wear a mask everywhere, everything is different, everything is harder.

"Coming into the Olympics Covid hit and, like the rest of the world, it's how you come back from it, how you adapt to that. It's a very different environment out there.

"For me, I woke up today and I said: 'You know what, they've got to fight me for this. I'm not going to give a single inch' and it paid off."

Peaty’s GB team-mate James Wilby came home in fifth.