SWIMMING: European championships bring more frustration for Ramsay and Peaty

Britain's world record holder Adam Ramsay-Peaty trailed home 20th in the 50m breaststroke heats at the European championships in Paris on Friday and said he was frustrated and confused by his continuing poor form.

The triple Olympic gold medallist, 31, was eighth in his heat with a time of 27.34 seconds. His world record, set in July 2017, stands at 25.95.

Italian Nicolo Martinenghi, the reigning 100m breaststroke Olympic champion, won the heat in 26.65 and was second fastest overall behind compatriot Simone Cerasuolo in 26.20.

Ramsay-Peaty was fifth in the 100m breaststroke final earlier in the week, the world record holder's first defeat in the event at a European aquatics championship, after having to settle for bronze at the Commonwealth Games in both 100m and 50m.

"These performances are not good enough at all. Even now I'm like it's so bad that I'm confused," he said on Friday.

"It’s very frustrating but I’m hoping we can figure it out."

-Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters