Rio 2016: Staffordshire's Adam Peaty beats his own 100 metres breaststroke world record as he goes for medal

The 21-year-old is hotly fancied to become Britain's first male Olympic champion in swimming since Adrian Moorhouse in 1988.

The time was 0.37secs faster than the record he set last year.

Peaty went into the opening day of competition at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium as world record holder, world, European and Commonwealth champion in the 100m breaststroke and, as a statement that he is out to add Olympic gold to the collection, this was as emphatic as they come.

He was well over a second quicker than Yasuhiro Koseki, the second fastest qualifier for the semi-finals. In fact there was less time separating Yasuhiro and the 16th and final fastest qualifying mark than between the Japanese and Peaty. The gold is surely the Briton's to lose.

The Uttoxeter World, Commonwealth and European champion should complete the set on Sunday night at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium barring a disaster of his own making.

And while the records continue to tumble for Peaty – gold is what counts when at an Olympics and the man himself knows that all too well.

"The (semi-final) was good – I think I have got three or four of the top times in the world ever now which is a great thing to have," he said.

"This morning was great, tonight was just about qualifying for a good lane for the final and that's what I did.

"A world record takes many weeks to settle in, to see how far you are ahead the field."

"Now it is all about enjoying my first Olympic final. No one can describe what an Olympics is like until you've been there.