Adam Peaty keen to continue trailblazing ahead of World Championships

The 22-year-old Uttoxeter swimmer won Britain's first of 27 gold and 67 medals in all at last August's Olympics with victory in the 100m breaststroke.

And the first British male to win an Olympic swimming title in 28 years also left a lasting impression on Phelps with his relay split in the 23-time champion's final race.

Peaty is optimistic of breaking his own world record - of 57.13 seconds set in winning Olympic gold - at the World Championships in Budapest, as he has been swimming quickly while in heavy training "in season". 

His 100m heat takes place on Sunday's opening day of competition in the pool.

"Physically I couldn't be in a better position," said Peaty."The consistency of a 58 now is becoming normal in a final in season.

"I've had three or four of them now. Before Rio I only had 59.2s, 59.3s, 59.6s. In Budapest we can go a 57 low again, if not faster. It's all about what happens on race day. We'll see."

Peaty was 1.5secs clear of the opposition in winning in Rio and his relay split of 56.59 which helped Britain to medley silver behind Phelps' United States squad shows he is capable of going even quicker in individual competition.

He remains the only person to have swum beneath 58 seconds for 100m breaststroke and is targeting a sub-57secs swim.

Peaty, who swam 57.79 at British Championships to qualify for Budapest, puts his consistency down to "self belief".

"No-one in the world can do it in season, except for me," he said."I fully believe in what I do and what I can achieve. It's looking good for me.

"Hopefully in the next few months I'll pick up a few more areas where I can improve for Commonwealths, the worlds in 2019 and on to Tokyo (for the 2020 Olympics).

"The margins now are going to be so, so small where I'm going to be improving so I've got to have at least 10 areas where I'm improving just to gain a tenth of a second.

"(But) there's so many areas last year where I could improve, so that gives me hope that 57.1 isn't the final score."

Peaty has moved out of the family home and switched from the City of Derby club to the Loughborough performance centre, still under the guidance of coach Mel Marshall, since Rio.

And he remains focused on building on his Olympic success.

"I want to be the best ever in breaststroke. That's been me from day one," he added."I'm so focused on what I'm doing, I haven't got time to be in the limelight. That's for a few years' time.

"I want to train as hard as I can and give back as much as possible."

As well as hoping to defend his 100m world title in Budapest, Peaty will bid to win the 50m breaststroke he also won in Kazan in 2015.

The one-length event is not on the Olympic programme, to Peaty's frustration. He is still contemplating adding the 200m to his repertoire, but it has not happened in time for Budapest.

Peaty added: "It's going to be a tricky one. I'm a big, muscly guy. How do we get that muscle across 200m effectively and as fast as possible?

"And at the Olympics you've got to swim three times, heats, semi-finals and final and the last time's got to be your fastest.

"We've got to do a lot of thinking."

The mixed medley relay, which Peaty and Britain won in Kazan, is now on the Olympic programme and is another target for next week

But his priority is his signature event.

"I'm just going to go out there and race. That's what I do and that's what I love," he said."I don't see anyone coming near that time of 57.1. If someone does get near me then I'll train 10 times harder than I have before.

"No British person has ever defended swimming Olympic gold. That's what motivates me."