When Adam Peaty was a little boy his fear of water led to tears and screaming at bath-time.
Now the 19-year-old is a European and Commonwealth champion. As well as a world record holder.
Adam was unveiled as a new face of Arena yesterday. It clearly suits him. In the evening he led the way with victory in the 100m breaststroke before returning to the pool as part of the Great Britain mixed medley relay quartet that set a new world record of 3:44.02.
It is a far cry from the child who was scared of water. “I hated going in the shower, hated going in the bath and every time I went to the pool I used to climb up my mum’s arms. I hated the pool.”
His fears overcome, he won the 100m breaststroke at last month’s Commonwealth Games, relegating fellow Arena swimmer Cameron van der Burgh into second place.
The South African responded by beating Peaty to the 50m title, the Briton setting a European record.
He won medley relay gold and was given four days off by coach Mel Marshall.
However, on day one he sent the former world, European and Commonwealth a medallist a text which read: “Hey Mel. Can I get back in on Friday please. I want to do good at Euros.”
He did return early and as he said after victory yesterday. “I wanted to get back in and feed the hunger and it’s paid off.”
Training with lots of boys clearly sits well with Sarah Sjostrom. The Swede won the 50m butterfly and revealed the secret of her success: not breathing. And training with men.
Lotte Friis made an appearance on poolside, at one point standing with her arms wrapped round Denmark coach Nick Juba.
Drops the mascot was active too. Orchestrating the crowd, hugging race officials, scaring them from behind. He even gave Fran Halsall a pat on the back when she stepped down from the podium after the mixed medley relay medal celebration.