It’s hard to think that little over a year ago Adam Peaty declared he never ‘wanted to see a pool again’ after claiming the sport that shot him to fame had ‘broken’ him.
But despite enduring ‘three years of hell’, battling depression, alcoholism and taking a competitive break in 2023, Peaty was back in the Olympic pool yesterday in a bid to win gold.
Agonisingly for the British athlete – and all of his fans – he missed out on a third gold straight at the Paris event by just 0.02 seconds, losing to Italian underdog Nicolo Martinenghi.
Peaty, 29, broke down in tears after he spotted his three-year-old son and hugged him on the pool side with little George asking his father: ‘Daddy, are you the fastest boy?‘
And while the swimmer can no longer claim to be ‘the fastest boy’ after his narrow defeat, for Peaty the time of his 100m breaststroke or silver medal does not matter – all that he cares about is being back in the pool.
‘I gave it my absolute all there. It doesn’t matter what the time says, or the result, because in my heart I have already won,’ he told reporters after missing out on a historic victory. ‘I’m not crying because I’ve come second. I am crying because it just took so much to get here.’
Peaty overcame the roughest patch of his career and personal life to date through the support of his family, including his 81-year-old nan who is his biggest champion, and his newfound faith.
But it is his new girlfriend Holly Ramsay – who has suffered with her own mental health issues, including PTSD and depression – that has been praised for being a constant supportive presence, cheering him on from the poolside and at home.
Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay kiss on the poolside after the swimmer won silver at the Paris Olympics
Holly has been credited with helping Peaty get back to the pool after struggling with his mental health
Peaty’s new relationship with Holly has been seen as a stablising factor in his personal life and career, following his split with Eirianedd in August 2022.
Peaty seen chatting with his three-year-old son George after winning his silver medal
Peaty missed out on a third gold straight at the Paris event by just 0.02 seconds, losing to Italian underdog Nicolo Martinenghi.
The athlete separated from the mother of his son George and partner of three-years Eirianedd Munro in 2022.
The split, coupled with him loosing an eight-year unbeaten streak led him to a low point, a broken foot and a bust-up with a team-mate, caused him to turn to a hedonistic lifestyle to cope with his depression.
In March 2023 he decided to take a competitive break, focusing on his mental health by speaking to a psychologist and writing a journal.
Yet thanks to his blossoming relationship with Holly, 24, daughter of Gordon Ramsay, quality time with little George, his Christian faith and a little push from his coach Mel who told him to get back in the water ‘just to paddle’.
By April 2024 he was back in full force announcing he had found ‘peace in the water’ after winning the British men’s breaststroke title with his quickest time since 2021 .
Peaty’s new relationship with Holly has been seen as a stablising factor in his personal life and career, following his split with Eirianedd in August 2022.
‘You help me become a better man everyday and I can’t wait to see what the future holds with you. No one knows me like you do. My best friend. You’re the goat [greatest of all time],’ he wrote in a belated Valentine’s Day post on Instagram.
In May 2023, following the breakdown of his relationship with George’s mother, the pair began dating, quickly confirming their relationship by June.
Peaty pictured spending quality time with his son, George, 3
The pair met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 when Peaty and Holly’s younger sister Tilly were both competing on the series
Following his silver medal yesterday, Holly shared a sweet post on Instagram to congratulate him
By December they had matching tattoos with Peaty brandishing an ‘H’ on his chest and the pair seemed more loved-up than ever as they shared a kiss on the poolside yesterday.
Holly has also suffered with her own mental health, dealing with PTSD, anxiety and depression after being sexually assaulted twice when she was 18.
It led her to be admitted for three months into Nightingale Hospital in Marylebone, London – the capital’s only mental health hospital.
‘I didn’t tell anyone about it until a year afterwards. I just buried it in a box in the back of my mind. [In hospital] is was where I was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression,’ she explained in 2021 on her podcast 21 & Over.
‘Since then, I have been in therapy up to three times a week. I now have these diagnoses that I carry around with me. It’s confusing and I’m trying to take control of my narrative and use that to make something good.’
Holly has also given up alcohol, going sober after ‘struggling daily with mental health‘.
‘It can be lonely not drinking especially at this age as it’s such a big part of our social lives.. but you will find the right people who don’t even care that you’re not drinking and are just happy you’re with them,’ she said previously.
Peaty kisses his girlfriend after qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games
Peaty gives his son George, 3, and girlfriend Holly a hug on the poolside
Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay at Lucky Cat in Manchester earlier this year
Since then, Holly has praised her boyfriend for his own grit, determination and ‘mental strength’.
After qualifying for the Olympics, Holly wrote: ‘Packing my bags & I’ll see you in Paris. You never fail to amaze me. Your determination, physical and mental strength is inspiring to all. Well done my love.’
And after Peaty’s win last night, she shared a photo of them embracing with George, alongside a message that read: ‘My whole world. We are so proud of you.’
Undoubtedly under Holly’s influence, Peaty was able to get back to his full strength – both mentally and physically.
After his win April, he said: ‘For me, that was a great swim, executed well – but the most promising thing is that I’m finding peace in the water now, instead of anger and just fighting it, and trying to win like that.
‘I’m finding a new version of myself which I’m really liking, and I think that’s a version that can do really well at the Olympics.
‘This is a real win for my team, my family and myself. We have come through the past three years of hell. I didn’t want to see a pool again. The sport had broken me.
‘I didn’t know what route to go down and so many things got in my way. But now I am waking up each day and enjoying my job. Who knows what the ending is going to be but I am having fun along the way. It may not end up as a fairytale, but it might.’
Peaty split from his girlfriend Eirianedd after three years together and apologised for ‘letting down’ his partner and their son in August 2022
The Olympic swimmer and former Strictly contestant took to Instagram to share the sad news with his followers, back in August 2022
He wrote in the caption: ‘Eiri and I have decided to go our separate ways. We have enjoyed a wonderful three years together’
His former partner Eiri shared a sweet post congratulating him on the silver medal
Their blossoming relationship came after a painful split from the mother of his child Eirianedd.
His son George was just two years old at the time. Announcing the news via social media, Adam wrote: ‘Eiri and George, I’m sorry for letting you down. My only interest is for the well-being of our family at this difficult time.’
Eirianedd took to her own social media to announce the split, predicting she would face an ‘incredibly difficult’ future.
In the wake of the news breaking, Eirianedd shared a statement to her Instagram Story, which read: ‘The last three years have been so, so amazing.
‘Our little family has experienced so much laughter and love and joy. You guys have been such a significant part of that! This next chapter of my life is surely going to be an incredibly difficult one.’
The split came weeks after Eirianedd had refused to pass him their son while congratulating him at the the Commonwealth Games, where he won gold in the 50m breaststroke.
After the swimmer was awarded his medal, cameras saw him heading to the stands where his then-girlfriend was tearfully watching with their son.
When he reached out to take George from her over the ledge, she could be seen shaking her head, and eventually she made her way back into the crowd.
Holly and Adam met on Strictly Come Dancing
Holly and Adam pictured together on Instagram
Peaty receives his silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024
Their split marked the latest in a long line of celebrities whose relationships ended during or after the dance show.
Yet the exs’ now appear on good terms with each other, with Eirianedd taking to Instagram yesterday to gush in support of her former partner.
Sharing a sweet snap of Peaty with George she wrote: ‘Congratulations Adam. George is so proud of you. He doesn’t see the worth of a medal but the absolute strength and determination that got you it.
‘These are qualities I pray he inherits. This moment will inspire him and drive him for the rest of his life. Thank you for giving him that.’
Other than the support from Holly – and his ex-girlfriend Eiri – Peaty has had a whole village of support behind him.
A large part of his recovery and return to the water came after he met five-time Olympic chaplain Ashley Null, who helped put his identity as an athlete perspective after he lost his once unbeatable streak.
Peaty’s grandmother Mavis Williams (pictured), 81, after Peaty won gold in the Tokyo Olympics
A poster on Mavis’ window during the 2021 Olympics said: ‘Uttoxeter supports Adam Peaty, good luck in Tokyo Adam!’
After his win yesterday Mavis tweeted out: ‘I am so proud of you Adam, well done love and God bless, love Nan’
Peaty attributes his recovery to his faith – as well as the support from loved ones
‘He said to me, ‘An Olympic gold medal is the coldest thing you will ever wear’,’ recalls Peaty, who wore one of those at Rio 2016 and two at Tokyo 2020. ‘It feels so warm because you have achieved your goal, but at what cost?,’ Peaty recalled.
‘Relationships end, your friends and family are on the back burner, even your own children have to be on the back burner.
‘As athletes, we expect a gold medal to fix all our problems because that’s the only thing we care about, in the sense of job outcome.
‘But as soon as you realise it doesn’t fix anything, it can be the coldest thing because you have sacrificed so much. You have to make sure you address those issues.’
Peaty now attends church every Sunday. He added: ‘It’s about being a better person. Not only being a better athlete and fulfilling my gift, but also being a better dad for George. There are so many other reasons. It gets quite deep.’
Alongside his religion, Peaty has always had the love and biggest support from his nan, Mavis Williams, who is constantly cheering on her grandson on social media from her home Uttoxeter, east Staffordshire.
After his silver medal, tied with American world champion Nic Fink, Mavis tweeted: ‘I am so proud of you Adam, well done and God bless, love Nan.’
Peaty gives his young son George a hug on the poolside after winning silver
Holly watched on as her boyfriend trains ahead of the olympics
‘Proud’ retiree Mavis has spent much of her later years sitting on the sidelines cheering on Peaty – although she admitted that she has to close her eyes when he jumps into the water due to nerves.
During the Tokyo Olympics – where friends, family and fans were not allowed to attend – Mavis woke up at 2am, made a cup of tea in time to watch her champion.
‘I had a text from him saying ‘I wish you were in the stands’, and it just made me get a lump in my throat,’ Mavis said after Peaty claimed his second gold Olympic medal.
‘I got up at 2(am), made a cup of tea at 3(am) and then it was time and he came on,’ she said teary eyed.
‘My stomach went all over, and when he got on the blocks and was going to go in, I closed my eyes, I dared not look. And when they said double Olympic champion I just burst into tears.
‘I was so proud, I can’t even tell you how proud I was, and why I cried I just don’t know.’
During the 2021 Olympics her home was plastered with posters which read: ‘Uttoxeter supports Adam Peaty, good luck in Tokyo Adam!’, alongside a picture of the Olympic champion.
Peaty later admitted he struggled without his supporters at the 2021 Olympics and even at the time said: ‘It’s weird with no crowd. It doesn’t feel like an Olympics. It’s not the same.’
It was his coach Mel that gave him the final push to begin training in the pool again.
‘The biggest thing Mel did was get me back in the water six or eight weeks after I stopped, just to literally paddle,’ he recalls. ‘She said, ‘If you want to do this at the Olympics next year, you’ve got to just start feeling the water now’.’
