Rio 2016: I know I can win this, says Adam Peaty as Team GB hopes for first gold

Swimmer claims tonight will be a continuation of the last seven years

Adam Peaty goes for gold in the men's 100m breaststroke final (Getty)

Adam Peaty, the swimmer who will tonight attempt to secure the first British medal at the Rio Olympics, has coolly declared that he believes he can win because the challenge is simply a continuation of what he has been doing for the past seven years.

Though the talk ahead of these Olympics has been about British Swimming performance director Bill Furniss’s harder coaching philosophy and a sharper psychological edge, Peaty simply exudes a winning mentality. He speaks in a way that shows losing does not come into the mental equation.

He said ahead of the 100m breaststroke final, which is scheduled to take place at 2.53am UK-time: “It is what I’ve been doing for the last seven years. I’ve been racing the best in the world and making my way through the ranks and now I’m in the spot where I’ve got a real opportunity to do something. I’m not going to take that for granted but those guys I’m up against will probably step up as well. It’s going to be great.”

Peaty, who was speaking in the athlete/journalist mixed zone after his semi-final heat said he would be waking up late - at 11am - on the day of his final to enjoy a granola bar as part of his breakfast

“I will wake up about 11am, “I will recover the mind, recover the body and then enjoy my breakfast,” he said. ”Then go back to the room, watch a few box-sets.”

Peaty’s self-belief was boosted by the new world record time of 57.55 he set in his Rio heat on Saturday.

“I think the world record will take many weeks to settle in just to see how far you are ahead of the field,” he said.” [Now it] is all about enjoying my first Olympic final. 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.”

Peaty attributed the new self-belief in British ranks to Furniss.

”The pressure that was there before was unhealthy,” he said. “I remember feeling that as a junior coming through,“ Peaty said. ”It was fear of failure. Now the pressure is positive. It is this idea of push off and what's the worst that can happen and say go for it. It's not like someone is holding a gun at the end of the lane, so I have got nothing to lose, I have just got to give it a good go.“