Adam Peaty: Pursuing Historic Third Olympic Gold with Renewed Peace
Adam Peaty is on the brink of making history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, aiming to join US swimming legend Michael Phelps as the only male swimmers to win gold in the same event at three Olympic Games. The 29-year-old Briton, who took a break from competition last year for mental health reasons, is set to compete in the 100m breaststroke with a newfound sense of peace and no pressure.
A Triumphant Return
Peaty, an Olympic breaststroke champion, is chasing a third consecutive 100m gold. This pursuit has been dubbed “three-Peaty.” Reflecting on his journey, Peaty shared, “I guess [I’m] more relaxed in my approach. A little bit more knowledgeable of myself and, I guess, when I look myself in the mirror, I’m very peaceful. As soon as you stop running from yourself, I think that’s when you start living your true self and your true life. And in sport terms, I think that’s when you’re most dangerous for everyone else because you’re just so at peace.”
A Mindset of Strength
Peaty’s new mindset has made him a formidable competitor. “I’m not afraid to lose, I’m not afraid to win. How can you beat an athlete like that?” he asked. Despite his past achievements, Peaty considers himself an underdog heading into Paris. “For me, going into these Games and especially these last 12 months, I’ve enjoyed being the person with the bow and arrow and not the one being fired at. There’s no pressure really on me. Yes, I’m Olympic champion and people are going for that crown, but I haven’t really won anything since 2022 or 2021. I’m okay with that because I’ve been the underdog and I enjoy being an underdog, I enjoy fighting my way through the rounds.”
A Storied Career
Peaty’s illustrious career includes three Olympic golds, having also won the 4x100m mixed medley at Tokyo three years ago. He is an eight-time world champion and 16-time European champion, and has broken world records 14 times. However, last year, Peaty stepped back from the sport to address mental health issues and alcohol abuse. This break allowed him to reassess and adopt a more sustainable approach to his career.
A Renewed Focus
“When you achieve what I have in the sport, Olympic golds and world records, that comes at a cost,” Peaty explained. “We all know that sport is extremely demanding. I started in a place where I had to take a break from the sport, a break from life really because it’s so demanding. Now I’m looking forward to Paris in a place where I put a really good qualifying time down, with a few months still to improve from that point. It’s been an enjoyable journey. I think balance, you’ve always got to have enjoyment. I’m definitely enjoying it even though it’s extremely tiring what we’re trying to do at the moment. It’s good.”
As Peaty prepares for Paris 2024, his journey underscores the importance of mental health and balance in achieving greatness. The world will be watching to see if he can secure his place in history alongside Michael Phelps.
