The Albany Gazette - Injured Olympic swimming champion Peaty out of World Championships

"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," said Peaty.

The 27-year-old British swimming great, who won gold in the men's 50 metres breaststroke, its 100m equivalent and the 4x100m medley relay at the 2019 World Championship, sustained the injury while training in the gym.

"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," Peaty added in a Twitter post.

"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."

Peaty, the world record holder in the 50 and 100m breaststroke, said being reduced to the role of spectator was a bitter pill to swallow now he was no longer heading to Hungary.

"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," he posted. "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."

Eight-time world champion Peaty won gold in the 100m breaststroke at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He became the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title when he took gold in the Covid-delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo last year, where Peaty also helped his country win the 4x100m mixed medley relay.

This year's edition of the multi-sport Commonwealth Games takes place in Birmingham, central England, from July 28 to August 8.

(S.G.Stein--BBZ)