Adam Peaty and Jazz Carlin win swimming gold and silver for Team GB at Rio Olympics

The 21-year-old smashed his own world record, finishing in 57.13 seconds Credit: Reuters

Adam Peaty has won a spectacular gold in the 100m breaststroke at the Rio Olympics, setting a new world record and winning the first gold for Team GB in the 2016 Games.

The 21-year-old smashed his own world record, finishing in 57.13 seconds.

He came in comfortably ahead of South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh and Cody Miller of the US.

Within minutes of Peaty's win, Britain saw another medal success with Jazz Carlin taking a well-deserved silver in the women's 400m freestyle and giving Britain its second medal of the Games.

The 21-year-old smashed his own world record, finishing in 57.13 seconds Credit: Reuters
Jazz Carlin won the UK its second medal of the Games Credit: PA

Peaty's grandmother, Mavis, whose tweets about her grandson's Olympics performance have made her an internet sensation, tweeted her congratulations, signing off "so proud love Nan x".

In Rio, Peaty described his sensational win as "so surreal", saying he took the first 50 metres "easy" before bursting back along the home straight "with everything I've got".

"I did it for my country because that means so much to me," he said.

Peaty described his win as 'surreal' Credit: Reuters
Credit: Snapchat/Jazz Carlin

On the podium to collect his gold he gave a thumbs-up as he received his medal.

Smiling ear-to-ear he sang the national anthem before waving to his family in the crowd.

It was the culmination of seven years of training for the City of Derby swimmer.

He said: "I wasn't scared of anyone, it was complete tunnel vision. I am just so happy for British Swimming now, for Team GB because it's the first gold of the games and what better than to come from swimming."

Adam Peaty's gold win is the first for Team GB in the 2016 Games Credit: Reuters

Cheering him on during the race were his mother and father, Caroline and Mark Peaty, and girlfriend Anna Zair.

Anna shared a photo of the group after Adam's heroics.

Mrs Peaty said she was ecstatic, while a hoarse Mr Peaty appeared lost for words.

"It was good. Very good. He's got two world records in the matter of two days," he said.

Back in the UK, James Peaty told ITV News he was "amazed and emotional" at his brother's success.

Peaty's win is the first men's Olympic gold by a British swimmer in 28 years, since Adrian Moorhouse's success in the same event in Seoul 1988.

Prime Minister Theresa May hailed Peaty and Carlin's medal success and said she hoped it will inspire their fellow Team GB members and the nation.