Adam Peaty just fell short of achieving an extraordinary milestone, securing a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke final in Paris.
Peaty, who has faced a challenging personal journey in recent years, was on the verge of claiming his third consecutive Olympic gold in breaststroke, with Italian Nicolo Martinenghi finishing first on Sunday night.
The swimmer was merely inches away from becoming the second man, after Michael Phelps, to clinch a gold in the same swimming event across three Olympic Games.
‘It’s been a long road back,’ Peaty expressed after the race, visibly emotional.
‘I poured everything I had into this. It’s not solely about the end result; it’s about the journey.’
Adam Peaty narrowly missed out on a third straight Olympic breaststroke gold medal in Paris
Peaty’s exploits come after he endured ‘three years of hell’ following his separation from his long-term girlfriend, with whom he shares a son.
In 2022, Peaty ended his relationship with Eirianedd Munro after three years.
The three-time Olympic champion is now in a relationship with Holly Ramsay, the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
‘In my heart, I’ve already won. I’m not upset about coming second. These are tears of happiness.’
‘I feel like I’ve matured. The drive to compete is no longer as relentless as it was without making sacrifices. It’s really challenging to keep up with the younger competitors.’
Peaty’s recent performance showcases an incredible comeback for the celebrated athlete, just over a year after he stepped away from competitive swimming for mental health reasons.
Having achieved gold medals in the 100m breaststroke in both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, along with a gold in the 4x100m mixed medley relay in Tokyo, Peaty maintained an impressive record as an elite swimmer, remaining undefeated for eight years from 2014 to 2022.
However, the collapse of his relationship in 2022 with Eirianedd Munro, the mother of his child, paired with struggles against depression and alcoholism, pushed Peaty to his lowest point.
In April 2023, Peaty pulled out of the British Swimming Championships, candidly discussing his mental health challenges and stating he had experienced ‘three years of hell’, entangled in a ‘self-destructive spiral’.
After previously participating in Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, Peaty confessed that he was so disheartened by the sport that he “didn’t want to see a pool again,” and resorted to drinking and partying as a means to escape.
This all followed a prior mental health hiatus he took after the Commonwealth Games, during which time his unbeaten eight-year streak in the pool came to an end.
On top of personal struggles, he faced physical challenges, including a broken foot and a facial injury sustained in a confrontation with a teammate, making the past few years particularly taxing for him.
Reflecting on his journey in a recent interview with BBC Sport, the 29-year-old remarked, ‘Everything fell apart. I fell apart.’
‘I didn’t take a pause after the 2021 Olympics. I jumped straight into work, did some dancing as a distraction, and subsequently broke my foot that year.’
‘This led me into 2023 and a major burnout.’
Due to his foot injury, Peaty missed the 2022 World Championships, trying to rush back for the Commonwealth Games, where he encountered difficulties.
‘I spiraled when I lost the 100m final. I became aggressive. It’s an aspect of myself that feels foreign.
‘When I went to Melbourne for the short course World Championships four months later, I exploded there because the outcome wasn’t what I expected.’
‘I was directing blame towards others, lacking the maturity needed to get through that. I effectively lost control.’
Peaty had previously spoken out about his struggles with depression and alcohol post-Rio Olympics in 2016.
Peaty has shared how he reached rock bottom and took a break from competitive swimming.
Peaty and Holly Ramsay made their relationship public last year and have frequently been seen together at events.
Holly is one of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s five children and works as an influencer and model.
Fortunately, recent times have seen a positive shift for Peaty, especially with the public revelation of his relationship with Holly Ramsay, Gordon Ramsay’s daughter, last June.
Holly, boasting over 300,000 Instagram followers, is not only a model but also an influencer, sharing her own journey and struggles with mental health.
Holly hosts a podcast named ’21 & Over’, where she discusses her sobriety, a decision she made to enhance her mental well-being.
Peaty and Holly first met when her sister Tilly participated in the same series of Strictly Come Dancing as him in 2021.
Additionally, Peaty has been open about his mental health journey, revealing to Mail Sport last June that embracing Christianity has been pivotal in breaking free from his ‘destructive spiral.’
‘I attend church every Sunday,’ disclosed the British swimmer. ‘It has certainly made a difference in recent months.
‘It’s about becoming a better individual—not just as an athlete, but also as a more reliable father for George. There are various compelling reasons behind it. It can get quite profound, but it’s fulfilling to be involved.’
Peaty further elaborated on how a meaningful discussion with a priest, specifically Olympic chaplain Ashley Null, helped him navigate his mental health challenges. Engaging in gardening and journal writing have also contributed positively.
He recounted a notable insight from the priest: “An Olympic gold medal is the coldest thing you will ever wear.” Although it feels warm due to the achievement, it arrives with significant sacrifices.
‘Relationships fade, your friends and family get sidelined, and even your children often take a backseat,’ Peaty explained.
‘Athletes tend to believe that a gold medal will resolve all life’s problems; that’s the only outcome we truly focus on in our profession.
‘However, as soon as you realize it doesn’t solve anything, it can feel incredibly isolating because of everything you’ve sacrificed. It’s essential to confront those underlying issues.’
In addition to his partner Holly, a key motivating factor for Peaty is his three-year-old son George, who watched from the stands in Paris.
Peaty is spurred on by his three-year-old son George, who cheered him on from the stands during the event in Paris.
Peaty’s silver medal represents a remarkable turnaround just over a year after he took a break from competitive swimming.
In the lead-up to the Olympics, Peaty revealed, ‘I had a FaceTime call with George, and he asked, “Daddy, are you the fastest boy?”
‘That question now drives me—to show my son that I can still be the fastest boy.
‘I want to illustrate that anyone can bounce back from what felt like the lowest point in my career and achieve a turnaround in just 14 months, which is remarkably brief.’
Despite coming so close to a stunning moment of redemption on Sunday, Peaty should take immense pride in his achievements.
