Adam Peaty, the three-time Olympic champion swimmer, is preparing to embark on a new phase of his athletic career following a challenging period marked by illness and setbacks. Now 31, Peaty enters the upcoming Commonwealth Games with the goal of using the competition as a springboard to regain confidence and sharpen his competitive form ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Peaty narrowly missed out on securing a third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris 2024 Games, finishing with a silver medal just 0.02 seconds behind Italy’s Niccolo Martinenghi. Reflecting on his performance in Paris, Peaty acknowledged the influence of Covid-19, which he contracted shortly before the championships, as well as potential lapses in focus that may have affected his performance. “Did ego play a part? Did complacency play a part in 2024? Potentially,” he said. “Now it’s about bringing everything back down, focusing on the details and enhancing the performance.”
Peaty described a shift in perspective from measuring success solely by medals to prioritizing the process and personal performance. He emphasized the importance of reaching an optimal emotional state during races, stating that success means knowing he has done everything possible to perform at his best. “If I look after the process, the outcome will take care of itself,” he added.
Over the course of his career, Peaty has amassed six Olympic medals, eight world titles, 16 European titles, and four Commonwealth Games titles, along with breaking 14 world records. He characterized the Commonwealth Games as significant milestones in his journey, with each edition representing different chapters of his career. Peaty pointed to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where he first made a major mark by defeating Cameron van der Burgh, as the beginning of his rise, and said he aims to make the upcoming Glasgow Games a “full-circle moment.”
Since taking a hiatus from competitive swimming and returning to the sport, Peaty’s personal life has also evolved. He is married to Holly Ramsay-Peaty, daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, and the couple is expecting their first child in early December. Peaty has relocated to London to be closer to his in-laws and to continue his training regimen.
Addressing the pressures that come with elite competition, Peaty remarked that he thrives under pressure but acknowledged the need for strategies to manage external distractions. “I can stand behind the blocks and not really care about what people’s opinions are,” he said. “That’s the Adam people should see — the racer. Everything else is my private life.”
As he looks forward to the Commonwealth Games and beyond, Peaty appears focused on balancing personal growth with professional excellence, aiming to meet the demands of high-level competition while maintaining his renewed mindset.