Adam Peaty to miss World Championships after fracturing bone in his foot

Adam Peaty has announced he will miss the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Budapest after suffering a fractured bone in his foot.

Peaty, who won gold in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke, its 100m equivalent and the 4x100m medley relay at the 2019 edition, sustained the injury earlier this week while training in the gym.

He said in a Twitter post: “I have been advised to rest for 6 weeks which unfortunately takes me out of contention for the FINA World Championships in Budapest next month.

The 27-year-old from Uttoxeter, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, would have been overwhelming favourite to defend his 50m and 100m titles.

He added: “I’ve fortunately never had to deal with an injury in my swimming career so this is a real blow and a new challenge for me.

“I’m already in great hands and starting to recover but, honestly, I’m devastated. I was on track for a huge summer so, like when anything doesn’t go according to plan, it’s a really challenging time.

“I won’t compromise my recovery and I will use this time to reflect on what the sport means to me and what it feels like to watch someone else win a race I should be in. It’s not going to be easy!

“I’ll never shy away from a challenge but on this one I’ve got to use my head more than my heart. I will be back in the pool as soon as I can be, with my focus on recovering and building up my strength ahead of the Commonwealth Games this summer.”