Adam Peaty insists he is happy despite narrowly missing out on a historic gold medal in the 100m breaststroke final in Paris.
Peaty, who has endured a turbulent personal struggle in recent years, came close to winning a third consecutive Olympic breaststroke gold medal when he was beaten by Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi by just 0.02 seconds.
The 29-year-old is just two seconds away from becoming only the second man after Michael Phelps to win the same event at three Olympics.
He broke down in tears after the match as he spoke of his difficult journey to Paris after suffering from depression last year.
Peaty told the BBC: ‘It’s been a long journey,’ he said. ‘I gave it my all there. It doesn’t matter what the time says, or what the result is, because in my heart I’ve already won.
‘I’m not crying because I came second. I’m crying because it took a long time to get here. These are happy tears because I’ve been working hard every day and I can’t be sad about it.
‘It’s really hard. To win once, and to win again, and to try to win again.
‘Everything I’ve done up to this point has been for a reason, and I’m glad I could compete with the best in the world and come second.
‘I’m almost an old man now. I can’t keep going every day without some sacrifice.
‘It comes in many ways, my time, my energy, my relationships. It’s hard to compete with younger people, but I’m glad of it because deep down I couldn’t do more.’
Peaty’s achievement marks a major turnaround for the legendary athlete, just over a year since he took a break from swimming for mental health reasons.
After winning gold in the 100m breaststroke in 2016 and 2020 – along with the 4x100m medley relay in Tokyo – Peaty continued his formidable run at the top of the sport, going unbeaten for eight years between 2014 and 2022.
However, the breakdown of his relationship in 2022 with Eirianedd Munro – with whom he has a son – and his battle with depression and alcoholism sent Peaty to rock bottom.
In April 2023, Peaty withdrew from the British Swimming Championships and opened up about his mental health struggles, later revealing that he had endured “three years of hell” and was in a “self-destructive spiral”.
Peaty – who also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 – admitted that he “didn’t want to see the pool again” after being “broken” by the sport, turning to drinking and partying as an escape.
This came after he had to take a mental health break following the Commonwealth Games, which ended his eight-year unbeaten streak in the competition.
Add in a broken leg and a gash to his face after an argument with a team-mate, and it’s safe to say it’s been a tough few years for Peaty.
