Adam Peaty dominated the breaststroke for nearly a decade, but recently had to retire. The three-time British Olympic champion cited mental health issues and will not take part in the World Swimming Championships in July.

Swimmer Adam Peaty says he ‘was in a self-destructive spiral’

Petey says he’s in a “self-destructive spiral” but hopes to get out. The athlete talked about periods of depression and problems with alcohol, which, according to him, worsened last year (he was injured, lost motivation and ended his relationship with his son’s mother).

“I was in a self-destructive spiral and I don’t mind saying that because I’m human. I reached a point in my career where I didn’t feel like myself.

I no longer felt the satisfaction of swimming and competing, which were my greatest love in sports. I put my hand on the self-destruct button because if I don’t get the result I want, I will self-destruct.

It was an incredibly lonely journey. The devil on my shoulder says, “You’re missing out, you’re not good enough, you need a drink, you can’t have what you want.” You can’t be happy’.

Some days you feel good and you don’t have to answer; some days you feel terrible, so you have to answer and get over it” – Adam Peaty for the Times.

Adam Peaty won gold in the 100m breaststroke and 4x100m medley relay at Tokyo 2021. He also became the Olympic champion in the 100m breaststroke in Rio in 2016.

During his career, the Brit won eight gold medals at the World Championships, 17 gold medals at the European Championships and four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games.

Adam Peaty, the price of excellence and participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics

Although his world record for the 100m breaststroke (56.88s) is almost a second faster than anyone else’s (Arno Cummings of the Netherlands is second: 57.80s), Peaty says the aspiration to perfection came to cost.

“Any sane person knows that doing the same thing for 18 years is crazy. I’m trying to find a tiny margin year after year, find 0.1%. Dedication and Sacrifice – Your weekends and all your time are spent on this goal for a chance at Olympic glory.

Once it made sense, twice it was a big ask, and last time it was bigger because that extra year of Covid was very difficult for everyone.” – Adam Peaty.

Also diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Peaty still plans to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Third Olympics? It’s really weird that we’re doing this, but I’m still here. The only reason I’ve backed off so far is because I don’t know why I’m continuing, to be honest. I don’t know why I keep fighting. On the plus side, I noticed a “why” there. I’m looking for an answer” – Adam Peatyquoted by News.ro.