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Who is Adam Peaty? All you need to know about Team GB's first medallist of Rio Olympics

The swimmer stormed to victory in the 100m breaststroke, smashing his own world record in the process as he claimed gold

It took until late on day two - but Team GB finally have their first medal of the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Adam Peaty stormed to victory in the pool, claiming gold in the 100m breaststroke.

The swimmer smashed his own world record in the process to get Team GB up and running in Brazil.

But who is Adam Peaty? And how did he become Olympic champion?

Here is all you need to know...

Who is Adam Peaty?

Adam Peaty is a British swimmer, specialising in breaststroke.

He is the world champion and world record holder in the 100m breaststroke, and smashed his own record in both the heats and the final to claim gold in Rio.

Peaty trains with City of Derby swimming club, being coached by former Olympic swimmer Melanie Marshall.

[Adam Peaty competes to break the World Record and win gold in the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final]

(Image: AFP/Getty)

[Adam Peaty competes to break the World Record and win gold in the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final]

(Image: AFP/Getty)

[Adam Peaty celebrates after he broke the World Record and won gold in the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final]

(Image: AFP/Getty)

What happened in Rio?

World record holder Peaty, 21, became only the fourth British man to win an Olympic swimming title in 40 years when he romped home in the 100 metres breaststroke final.

And of course, he didn't just win: he obliterated the world record he had set only 24 hours earlier.

Approaching 3am on the graveyard shift back home in Staffordshire, Peaty followed David Wilkie, Duncan Goodhew and Adrian Moorhouse into breaststroke legend, clocking an astonishing 57.13sec, more than a second and a half quicker than his nearest rival.

Defending champion Cameron van der Burgh came second and American Cody Miller took the bronze medal.

Read more from Mike Walters here.

[Adam Peaty celebrates after he broke the World Record and won gold in the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final]

(Image: AFP/Getty)

[Adam Peaty with his gold medal following the Men's 100m Breastroke final]

(Image: PA Wire)

[Adam Peaty poses with his Gold medal from the Men's 100m Breaststroke]

(Image: PA Wire)

Did you know...

Peaty was actually scared of water as a child.

The Olympic champion would refuse to sit in the bath as a four-year-old, and even now will not go in the sea unless he is wearing a knee-length swimsuit and shoes because he hates seaweed.

His mother Caroline, a nursery manager, and father Mark, a caretaker at the local Lidl supermarket in Uttoxeter, had never been on a plane, or travelled further afield than France, before they flew out for the golden hour in Rio.

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