Adam Peaty raffling Olympic Games racing trunks to raise cash for NHS

Olympic champion Adam Peaty is raffling off the Team GB racing trunks he wore when he won gold at the 2016 Rio Games to raise money for the NHS.

Peaty also took part in an indoor 100km bike ride on Wednesday 8 April, alongside Commonwealth Games gold medalist boxer Callum Johnson, to also raise cash for NHS charities.

All the money made from the raffle and the charity bike ride will be donated to the NHS to purchase much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential items.

Peaty had originally posted on Twitter that he was considering auctioning off his racing trunks but several people suggested holding a raffle instead.

He said he wanted to raffle them off to give everyone a chance of owning them.

Peaty said: “I’m raffling off my Rio 2016 Olympic trunks so everyone gets an opportunity and it doesn’t just go to the highest bidder.

“Kids can join in, parents can join in and it gets everyone involved.

Re-uploaded. I’m raffling my Team GB 2016 Olympic Racing Trunks to raise money for the charities of the NHS as well as today’s 100km cycle. Just create an account, good luck! Max 10 entries per email. https://t.co/C3aYb70hyIpic.twitter.com/o7FW31ZCtm

— Adam Peaty MBE (@adam_peaty) April 8, 2020

“[Auctions] some times can exclude the people that it’s actually for. I want to give them to someone who really, really wants it.”

The Swimming Events website that is staging the raffle says: “All proceeds will be donated to the NHS to help with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The winning entry will be drawn and announced at 9pm on Friday 10 April. Any tickets purchased after this date will be excluded from the draw but money raised will still be donated.”

It costs £10 to enter the raffle with a maximum of 10 entries per email address.

The winner will be revealed on social media and the Swimming Events website.

Peaty set a then world record of 57.13 and become the first British man to win an Olympic swimming gold since Adrian Moorhouse at Seoul 1988 when he triumphed in the 100m Breaststroke in Rio.

He has since lowered his world best to 56.88 – a time he achieved in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea – as he became the first man to break the 57-second barrier.