Adam Peaty not swimming in mixed 4×100 metres medley relay heats

Peaty could still come into the Great Britain line-up for the final on Saturday.

Adam Peaty tested positive for Covid hours after winning Olympic silver in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke final (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Adam Peaty will not swim in the mixed 4×100 metres medley relay heats on Friday morning.

Peaty, part of the line-up that helped Team GB win the inaugural event at Tokyo 2020, tested positive for Covid on Monday morning, hours after winning silver in the men’s 100m breaststroke final on Sunday.

While he posted a photograph of himself back in the pool on his Instagram stories on Wednesday after two days of “bed rest”, Peaty has not been included in Team GB’s start list as they begin the defence of their title.

His place goes to Commonwealth Games gold medallist James Wilby, who was unable to join Peaty in the men’s 100m breaststroke final after finishing 11th in the semi-finals, with the top-eight progressing.

Kathleen Dawson, Joe Litchfield and Anna Hopkin make up the rest of the quartet but Peaty could still feature in Saturday’s final if Team GB qualify.

Unlike the last Olympics in Tokyo, there are no specific coronavirus restrictions on athletes but Team GB said in a statement “all usual precautions (were) being taken to keep the wider delegation healthy”.

Peaty is also slated to appear in the men’s 4×100 medley relay, which gets under way on Saturday, although Team GB could keep him fresh for Sunday’s final.