Three-time Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty has insisted he has found peace despite his bid for Commonwealth Games gold concluding with a bronze medal, following an emotional defeat in the 100m breaststroke.
The 31-year-old broke down in tears after being bested by Australia’s Sam Williamson, with Jersey’s Filip Nowacki securing silver in Glasgow.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Ramsay-Peaty reflected on his resilience, stating: “I’ve got very tough skin that has been built quite aggressively over these last six months.”
“I know what my values are, my morals are. I can look in the mirror and be at peace with myself and the person that I am.”
Dismissing the setback, he remarked: “No matter what way we look at it, it’s two lengths of the swimming baths and we’re trying to do it as fast as we can. My issue is a simple one I can fix.”
The swimmer also highlighted his “support circle”, including his “incredible wife” Holly, who is expecting their first child.
Ramsay-Peaty is already a father to five-year-old George from a previous relationship with Eirianedd Munro, and he spoke warmly about fatherhood.
“When you have children, they take a lot of work and a lot of energy and you’re gonna miss a lot of sleep, but what an incredible gift, an incredible blessing.
“I don’t want to get lost in just being an athlete, I want to get lost in being a father and being a husband.”
Ramsay-Peaty’s personal life drew headlines last year amid reports of an ongoing family dispute with his parents, Mark and Caroline, who were notably absent from his lavish wedding to Holly, daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Caroline Peaty also did not attend Holly’s hen party in the Cotswolds, which saw guests including Holly’s mother Tana and family friend Victoria Beckham.
Following his Commonwealth Games performance, the swimmer appeared to allude to the family tensions in an interview with TNT Sports.
“It’s hard because I know how hard I’ve worked. I know the s*** I’ve been through, which is no fault of my own. It does take a toll,” he said.
His mother, Caroline, subsequently posted on Instagram, suggesting external forces were at play.
“There is something or someone at play who wants to destroy our family,” she wrote. “We continue to support Adam from afar. He’s our son who we love, whom we supported to reach his aspirations.”
Caroline Peaty emphasised their selfless dedication: “Our love, our time, our sacrifices were given freely with no expectation of financial reward just genuinely given with the love as any mother and father would do for their child.
“We are strong, we love and are always there for each other. The very nature of our strength as a family has helped us move past the nastiness, the lies that have been told about us.”
