‘I’ve already won’ – Emotional Adam Peaty gives teary interview as he adds silver medal to Olympic collection
Adam Peaty proved he's an Olympic hero as he cried tears of joy following his silver medal win in Paris.
Peaty was denied the chance to match the legendary Michael Phelps' record of three-straight Olympic gold medals in the same event as he was beaten to first place by 0.02 seconds in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday night.
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Having claimed Gold in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Peaty hoped to secure the top prize was again, but was only able to claim silver in a result that fell short of what many expected.
But in a show of class, he immediately made his way over to congratulate race winner, Nicolò Martinenghi.
Since cementing his status as an Olympic great three years ago, the 29-year-old has suffered from depression leading to time away from the sport, with Peaty returning to action earlier in 2024 after what he described as ‘three years of hell’.
His comeback story over the last 18 months is already inspirational, but an emotional interview with the BBC has ensured that he will go down as a true British great.
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Speaking to the BBC, Peaty said: "It’s been a very long way back. I gave my absolute all there, executed it as well as I could and it’s not about the end goal, it’s about the process.
“It doesn’t matter what the time says on the board – in my heart, I’ve already won.”
Peaty held back the tears and said: “I’m not crying because I came second. I’m crying because it just took so much to get here.
“It’s incredibly hard to win it once and to win it again and again and find new ways to do it. Everything I’ve done to this point has happened for a reason and I’m incredibly happy that I can race the best in the world and finish second.
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“But I’m not crying because I came second or lost – in my heart I’ve won.
“These are happy tears. I said to myself I’d give my absolute best every day and I have, so you can’t be upset about that.”
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Peaty added: “I’m almost an older man here now. I can’t have that relentless pursuit without a sacrifice of some sort. That can come in many forms – time, energy, relationships – and as a man now it’s hard to compete with the younger ones but I’m happy with that because I know in my heart I could have done more.
“The Olympics are about who can perform at that moment and I was one or two percent out, but that’s a victory for me.
"I am an older man, I can' t have that relentless pursuit without a sacrifice, and that comes in time, energy, relationships.
"I am so happy with that because I know I could have done more.
"I was just one or two per cent out, but that's still a victory for me."
Watching on was two-time Olympic gold medal winner Rebecca Adlington, who was similarly emotional. "I can't stop crying," he said in her role as an analyst on television. "I feel just so emotional. It's his little boy that's got me," she added of the embrace Peaty and son, George shared afterwards.
"I just need to see that Adam's smiling and I'll be fine. We didn't call that at all, did we? It was just one of those [races] that was so unpredictable."
Speaking to talkSPORT, Peaty continued: "Fourteen months ago if you’d laid out this plan that I’ve seen, who knows. It’s a game of hindsight. I’ve been fortunate to be so dominant in my career but I’m passing the baton to the young ones.”
Asked what it’s taken to get here, Peaty said: “Everything. Every cell in my body and that’s why it’s true joy because I couldn’t have done it any other way.
“These are happy tears and that’s because there is no other way to do it.
“Anybody who has children, anyone who has a family but is trying to get a balance in their work, this is what it’s about.
“I wasn’t willing to pay the cost of a full swing like these guys are willing to pay because I want to enjoy my son – I don’t worry about tomorrow any more.
“There’s a lot of things going on in my head – happy, not happy but I’ve got a job to do at the end of the week and I’ve got to get the tears out of my eyes because it’s been one hell of a journey.”
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Speaking about his meeting with his son, Peaty added: “That’s what I do it for. Even if I finished seventh and beat the people I want to beat and hug my son – you’re winning.”
Peaty is next in action on August 4 as he lines up for the 4x100m medley relay as he targets another gold.
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