Adam Peaty

“Your barber always knows everything that goes on in the town, doesn't he?”

“To win Olympic gold has been a dream for me for seven or eight years now, so it was amazing to actually achieve that.”

“Nothing means more to me than racing for my country, the Queen, the Royal Family, and the people back home that support me.”

“In sport, a massive amount is to do with genetics.”

“I was so scared of the water when I was little. I used to grab onto Mum's hand to get out of the pool. I did not even want to shower.”

“A lot of people put pressure on me, but I don't think I feel that type of pressure. It is more of a good thing that people are trying to do that.”

“I believe in that gladiatorial mind-set. I love it.”

“I've been going to the same barber the last few years, and we have great chats whenever I'm in the chair. He'll ask: 'How you doing? How's the training going?' Just ordinary, obvious things, but then, like you do with your barber, you start talking about personal stuff.”

“It's great to see that kind of support online. For people to be messaging myself, my nan and the rest of my family, all the support has been great.”

“It's good for kids to look up to sporting role models.”

“I don't think I'm a good dancer.”

“For the last seven years, I have been racing the best in the world and making my way through the ranks. I am in that spot where I have got a real opportunity to produce something. I am not going to take it for granted because I know those guys will step it up.”

“For 100 m., you have to go out fast but also bring it back, so we've been doing a lot of work on the back-end speed.”

“The more you believe in yourself, the faster you're going to get.”

“Seeing that flag means so much: I am inspired by my Queen, my country.”

“I love the Royal Family and every aspect of Britain and what we have achieved in history.”

“I've become the hunted. I'm enjoying that. It's better to be the hunted than the hunter.”

“I still like to sit in a room and play games all day, so I'm a kid, really.”

“Grime reminds me that swimming is very gladiatorial.”