Adam Peaty admits he still does not know what his future holds after bringing down the curtain on his third Olympic Games with a fourth place in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.

The triple Olympic champion was diagnosed with Covid earlier this week, having taken silver in the men’s 100m breaststroke while clearly unwell.

But he looked to be returning to close to 100% as he swam a time of 58.16 in the relay, the second fastest breaststroke split of the night.

That helped GB, with Peaty joined by Oliver Morgan, Duncan Scott, and Matt Richards, into fourth spot, behind China, USA, and France.

And after a career which has seen him win three Olympic gold medals, to go with three silvers, the Uttoxeter swimmer explained that he will take a step away from the sport before deciding what his future holds.

He said: “Tomorrow is never promised and if my heart wants it my heart wants it, and I will sign that contract with myself to do it.

“That could be a long way away, but I think I've got to step away from the sport because it hurt too much this time. I'm going to take some time off everything, and I don't really know what the answer is.

“I'm taking time, if my family needs me, they need me. I don't know, you can't lie to your heart but if it wants it, it wants it.”

Peaty competed in Paris this summer having come back from well-documented struggles with depression and alcohol issues, as well as injury.

His fairytale was derailed by Covid, as he missed the chance to become only the second man to win three successive Olympic swimming titles in the same event after Michael Phelps.

He was visibly struggling after his 100m breaststroke silver, but a course of antibiotics has helped get him back to closer to full fitness.

Peaty added: "That's just my spirit, I said 'forget my body', woke up and didn't care about how I felt. I saw these boys this morning, we all went to the pool together and got a good meal and this is where it matters and what I've trained for the last decade.

That's the only swim the whole Games where I've been completely happy with it because of certain circumstances and that's sport.

“Unfortunately, in our sport we only really have to find a peak every four years truly and when illness hits you can't throw your toys out of the pram. I couldn't have swum it better, I just stuck on (American) Nic Fink, took it out on that first 50m. I proved to myself, stayed calm and my chest was there this time. It's unfortunate it's come this late but glad I could get it done."

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