Olympics-Swimming-Rio will be a flying first for Peaty's mum

By Alan Baldwin RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Every Olympics has its breakthrough moments and for Adam Peaty, the big gold medal hope of British swimming, one of them will be getting his mum on a plane for the first time in her life. "I've never flown before, never been further than France," Caroline Peaty told the Radio Times. "I've always taken my leave around Adam's races in this country and I love to watch him, but this is going to be a shock." Peaty, 21, is making his Olympic debut but is already a triple world championship gold medallist and world record holder in both 50 and 100 metres breaststroke. The 50 is not on the Olympic programme but he is favourite for the 100 after dominating the distance, retaining the European title in May to add to his Commonwealth and world crowns. Success in Rio would make Peaty the first British male swimmer to win Olympic gold since Adrian Moorhouse won the same event in Seoul in 1988. Peaty's mother has spoken in the past about how she took him to swimming lessons because he used to scream when getting in the bath and was 'petrified' of water. That became a labour of love, years of sleep and holidays sacrificed. "I'd get up at four in the morning, drive him 40 minutes to Derby, sit and wait two hours while he was training...then drive him back again and do a full day's work as a nursery manager. Then we'd do it again in the evening," she said. "I've always hated driving, my husband doesn't drive, and I was so tired all the time. But Adam's willpower was stronger than mine and he'd say 'Come on Mum, no staying in bed.'" Peaty, who has been training at Britain's camp at Belo Horizonte ahead of the Games that open on Friday, will also have father Mark and girlfriend Anna watching him in Rio. The swimmer, who won his world titles in Kazan, Russia, told reporters before departing for Brazil that Rio promised to be an eye-opener. "Mum and Dad...the furthest they've been is France so that's going to be a big shock to them. It's going to be great for them to see how the rest of the world is," he said. "My mum tries to make every race that she can. I'd probably hear her from all the way over there anyway (if she did not fly)." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)