Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning swimmers have returned home to their delighted families.
Adam Peaty and Tom Dean were among those who triumphed in the pool in Tokyo – where Team GB clinched a record total of eight medals, including four golds.
This trumped the previous best of seven medals in the 1908 London Games.
Image:
Adam Peaty competing at the Olympics
Image:
Tom Dean took gold after having COVID twice
Dean, 21, who recovered twice from COVID-19 during the pandemic, won two golds at his debut Games, in the individual 200-metres freestyle and the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
Peaty, 26, picked up golds in the 100m breaststroke, where he retained his title from Rio, and the mixed 4x100m medley relay, and he also won a silver in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.
And with one gold and three silvers, Duncan Scott became the first British athlete from any sport to win four medals at a single Games.
Olympic champion Adam Peaty on mental health break
Image:
British swimmers Adam Peaty (left) and Tom Dean arrive back at Heathrow Airport from the Tokyo Olympics
Returning from his second Olympics, Peaty announced he would be taking a break from competing to prioritise his mental health.
Britain’s swimmers arrive home to hugs and tears
Image:
Adam Peaty signed autographs after landing
Peaty said: “I’m going to take a few months off from the sport. I’ve been pushing for so long, so it’s an outrageous amount of effort from not only myself but from my team. To be part of this team is very special.
“People are scared to race us now. We’re a small nation going against America and we’re going to try our best. We’re not scared to win.”
Image:
The GB swimmers took home a record haul of medals
Image:
Tom Dean was greeted by a welcome-back party when he returned home to Taplow, Buckinghamshire
He added that he cried when he saw his 10-month-old son George after landing.
The Olympic champion said: “For anyone that spends any time away from their kids for more than a week or more than a day, it’s obviously been emotional.
“But coming away with everything we’ve worked for as a family and as a team, it’s great to see that pay off and it’s a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
James Guy, 25, was also part of the relay-winning team.
He said the first thing he wanted was a curry, saying: “That’s one thing I’ve really missed, is having home food and home comforts.
“It’s just great to get back home and I’m going to have some great food in Bath.”
