BBC Olympics host Clare Balding calls out England Euro 2024 stars in Adam Peaty comparison
The presenter noticed a stark difference between Adam Peaty and England's Euro 2024 stars.
Clare Balding issued a brutal dig to England’s defeated Euro 2024 stars after a valiant Adam Peaty picked up a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Peaty agonisingly missed out on a third consecutive gold medal in the 100m breaststroke, coming within two one-hundredths of a second to eventual winner Nicolo Martinenghi.
Despite the disappointment, an emotional Peaty kept his head held high and spoke of his pride after picking up his sixth Olympic medal.
It was in sharp contrast to Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 runners-up, who mostly removed their silver medals following the defeat against Spain earlier this month - something Balding was quick to pick up on.
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Speaking as part of the BBC’s Olympics coverage on Sunday night, the long-serving presenter said: “I love this because, honestly, after the final of the Euros when they all take their medals off. I just thought 'You got to the final and performed really well, don't say this means nothing'.
"And I love the fact that Adam and Nick Fink there are clearly incredibly proud of those silver medals and will hold them up and say 'Yes, I won this'."
Former Olympian and world champion swimmer Mark Foster added: “One hundred per cent. Why do you take your medal off? Do you think you're a loser all of a sudden because you came second in a tournament?
“No, you're second in the world or second in Europe. You should be proud of it. Yes, absolutely.”
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He continued: “[It’s] probably an emotional knee-jerk reaction. One does it and they all go 'Eurgh yeah, we don't like that'.”
There was certainly no embarrassment about finishing second from Peaty, who after the race said: “It’s been a very long way back and look at the score, you’d have never dreamed it.
“I gave it my all and executed it as well as I could. It didn’t matter what the time said on the score. I’m already a winner.
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The 29-year-old added: "I’m not crying because I’ve come second, I'm crying because it’s taken so much to get here. It’s incredibly hard to win it once, then to win it again, and again.
"I'm trying to find new ways to win it. I can race the best in the world and can come joint-second. In my heart I’ve won and these are happy tears. You can’t be upset about that."
Peaty will return to the pool later in the swimming meet for the 4x100m medley relay.
