Olympic Swimmer Adam Peaty Tests Positive for COVID-19 Hours After Winning Silver Medal

Hours after narrowly missing out on a third consecutive gold medal in the 100m breaststroke, Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty tested positive for COVID-19.

Britain’s Peaty, 29, finished in a tie for second place during the Sunday, July 28 nailbiter, sharing the silver medal with American Nic Fink . The two men trailed gold medal winner Nicolò Martinenghi of Italy by 0.02 seconds.

Peaty was looking to become the first man since Michael Phelps to win the event in three straight Summer Olympics .

According to Team Great Britain, Peaty was “feeling unwell” leading up to Sunday’s race.

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“In the hours after the final, his symptoms became worse and he was tested for Covid early on Monday morning,” a spokesperson said. “He tested positive at that point.”

Peaty acknowledged he wasn’t feeling 100 percent after the race, but he was quick not to take anything away from Martinenghi.

"These are not excuses,” Peaty told reporters. “These are just things that athletes have to go through every day, and never would I have an excuse for what is there.”

Looking ahead, Team GB said Peaty “is hopeful to be back in competition for the relay events later in the swimming program.”

The statement continued, “As in any case of illness, the situation is being managed appropriately, with all usual precautions being taken to keep the wider delegation healthy.”

According to ESPN , Peaty is not required to isolate himself from other athletes and does not have to test negative before returning to action.

After Sunday’s race, Peaty pushed back at the idea that his second-place finish was a disappointment.

“It’s not sad at all,” Peaty told reporters. “Anyone that’s done sport, if you’re willing to put yourself on the line every single time, I think there’s no such thing as a loss.”

He continued, “I’m so happy the right man won. I touched the wall and I truly believed I got it, but it wasn’t meant to be. But as I’ve said on this whole 14-month journey back, I’m not defining myself by a medal. It could have gone either way.”

Peaty returned to competitive swimming in February after taking a lengthy mental health break, during which the swimmer opened up about his battles with depression and alcoholism.

After earning his silver medal — his sixth Olympic medal in total — an emotional Peaty said, "In my heart I've won and these are happy tears because I said to myself that I would give my absolute best every single day and I have. You can't be upset about that.”

Peaty is scheduled to take part in the men’s and mixed medley relays, heats for which get underway on Friday, August 2.