Road to Paris 2024: Adam Peaty's return, diving history and two-mile records

The World Aquatics Championship took centre stage this week as one of the biggest competitions for British athletes on the road to Paris 2024.

Peaty's bronze return

The last time Adam Peaty competed at a World Championships, he smashed the world record.

Returning to the competition for the first time since 2019, records might not be on the mind of the three-time Olympic champion but the occasion was no less important.

The 29-year-old missed the 2022 event with a broken foot and stepped away from the sport in 2023 to prioritise his mental health.

But a world class return was cemented by a bronze medal in the men's 100m breaststroke in Doha, physical evidence of his fight back to the top.

Qualified fastest for the final, Peaty laid down a time of 59.10 seconds to touch the wall third behind the USA's Nic Fink and Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi.

But with the 2023 champion Qin Haiyang of China missing from the starting blocks in Doha, there's still more work to be done for the Brit ahead of Paris this summer.

Alongside Peaty's return, British swimmers also booked Team GB a spot in the men's 4x100m freestyle at Paris 2024.

After a takeover disqualification saw them fail to qualify at Fukuoka 2023, Matt Richards, Tom Dean, Duncan Scott and Jacob Whittle were back in the water in Doha with one mission.

The quartet got the job done in the heats, qualifying third fastest for the final before narrowly missing out on the medals with fourth in the showpiece event that evening.

What they said

"My objective for this meet was to progress through the rounds, progress physically and in results, but also progress mentally and see what strategies are working, what isn't working," said Peaty.

"It's great to race the best in the world and getting used to heats and semis again.

"I think I pushed it a bit too much on the 50m but we can see now how I can fine tune it for the Olympics.

"We've got a long way to go but my love for the sport is back and I'm loving it."

What's next

Peaty will now turn his attention to firming up Team GB's qualification in the mixed 4x100m medley and men's 4x100 medley relays.

Paris qualification is also up for grabs in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay.

Read more: Where to watch the World Aquatics Championships


Diving into the history books

British divers claimed a magnificent seven medals over nine days at the World Diving Championships.

Add that to a full house of Paris 2024 quota spots and, six months out from this summer's Games, Team GB look set to sparkle on both springboard and platform.

Following mixed team gold on the opening day of competition, Tom Daley's return to the international scene also brought him silver alongside 10m synchro teammate Noah Williams.

The medal marked Daley's best-ever performance in the event at World Championship level and also clinched an all-important quota spot.

Daley and Williams never deviated from the silver medal position over six rounds of competition, their 3 1/2 somersault tuck scoring an impressive 84.48 points to record their best dive of the day.

Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix added her own piece of history by becoming the first British woman to win an individual world medal in the 10m platform with bronze.

It marked a maiden individual world final for the 19-year-old, who didn't progress past the semi-finals last year.

What they said

"We're super happy, and it's my first ever silver medal at a World Championships, so I've got the set now," said Daley.

"This was what it all came down to, whether I was going to be able to be fit enough to dive with Noah in the first place, and then be able to actually come in the top qualifying spots.

"That's mission accomplished so far, and now it's about staying fit and healthy to get to the start line [in Paris], so now the real work starts."

What's next

Following Doha's show-stopping performances, Team GB will have a full diving team at Paris 2024, with two spots apiece in the individual springboard and platform events, and one synchro pairing in each on both men's and women's sides.

Before that, the Diving World Cup makes it's return on February 29 as divers take to Montreal, Canada for the first stop in the competition.


Kate and Izzy off to Paris

What links Big Ben and artistic swimming?

The answer lies in Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe's technical duet routine, inspired by the British landmark, which made for a history-making moment in Doha as the duo soared to Britain's first-ever duet medal at a World Championships.

An overall mark of 259.56 was enough for silver and put the pair in a strong position to qualify for Paris 2024.

And with free duet bronze later in the week, that's exactly what they did.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympians increased their routine's difficulty for their final performance of the event and scored 247.26 points to grab a second medal, this time bronze.

Their combined tally of both events was more than enough to ensure qualification for Paris 2024 as the top ranked eligible duet.

What they said

"If people knew how much it takes to get to an Olympic Games, it really should not be underestimated - and it's such a relief now to say we have finally qualified!" said Shortman.

"People ask you all the time, 'so when are you going to the Olympics?' and you have to say, 'the job's not done yet!' It's such a relief to be able to say we have finally made it."

What's next

The Artistic Swimming World Cup begins on the 5-7 April, making it's first stop in China before heading off to Paris on 3 May in an Olympic recce.


Kerr rips up records

Josh Kerr continues to lay down markers wherever he is around the globe.

On Sunday, the 1500m world champion spectacularly overhauled Sir Mo Farah's two-mile world record at the Millrose Games in New York.

It might not be over an Olympic distance, but Kerr's new time of 8:00.67 was a clear warning shot ahead of this summer.

Kerr charged down the finish line to beat the USA's Grant Fisher and eclipse Farah's previous mark of 8:03.40, which had stood since 2015.

What they said

"It was always going to be really tough, small margins,” Kerr said.

"I had to roll with the punches at the start of my career - pretty good but not world class.

"And then to be world class and now world champion... I'm having fun with it, creating big goals to get myself out the door and prove I'm not all talk."

Read more: How a case of 'Déjà Vu' led Josh Kerr to 1500m World gold

What's next

Athletics fans are set for a whirlwind of action at the upcoming World Athletics Indoor Championships next month.

The Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow hosts the event between March 1-3.

Sportsbeat 2024