Adam Peaty, one of Britain's greatest Olympic swimmers, is facing questions over whether his career is entering its final phase after taking his second bronze medal of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, well short of the dominant form that once made him unbeatable. The 30-year-old admitted he is "working way too hard" and needs to overhaul his training, while former swimmers offered differing views on whether more rest or simply refined technique could revive his prospects before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Peaty went eight years unbeaten in the 100m breaststroke between 2014 and 2022 but has not won a major gold since. Former swimmer Karen Pickering suggested he is doing too much rather than swimming too slowly, and pointed to fixable technical issues such as weak starts, while Ross Murdoch doubted Peaty would easily ease off his intense approach. History is also against him: only six swimmers have won Olympic gold past 30, and just two past 33, the age he will be in Los Angeles. He also faces mounting competition, including from 18-year-old mentee Filip Nowacki, and has spoken of the personal toll of recent years, including a mental health break in 2023.