Adam Ramsay-Peaty dunked his head under the water, looked up at the scoreboard and smiled. His time, 26.94 seconds, was only enough for bronze but he did not beat himself up about it.
Throughout his career, Ramsay-Peaty has swum with the spirit of the giant lion tattooed on his bulging bicep. These Glaswegian waters will duly confess that age can tame the most vicious of animals.
‘My superpower looks very different now,’ said the 31-year-old, who was slow off the blocks and needed every dose of muscle memory to pull his way back into third.
‘Juggling babies with milk and having a toddler around is a different superpower. As a professional athlete, yeah, I’m still committed. I’ve been that person that wins all the time and it costs you pretty much everything. I wouldn’t say it’s worth it now.’
The killer instinct has been replaced by parenthood.
Peaty remains Britain’s best breaststroker but he does not fill international opponents with fear like he used to. The sands of time catch up with everyone.
Most swimmers peak in their early 20s. Even the great Michael Phelps, with his 6ft7in wingspan and size 14 feet, did not win another Olympic medal after the age of 31.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty reacts after winning bronze in the men’s 50m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games
His wife Holly was seen watching on as Ramsay-Peaty secured his second medal of the Games
Ramsay-Peaty, pictured with wife Holly, had earlier labelled sport ‘cruel’ in an emotional statement
Ariane Titmus won four Olympic golds and here, aged 25, she is standing poolside with a microphone, carrying out post-race interviews for Australia’s national broadcaster.
Ramsay-Peaty’s finish time was almost a whole second off his world record. He accepted his bronze medal with grace, waving to his adoring Glaswegian audience, and he was more interested in taking home the cuddly unicorn for his son.
‘For me, that period of time when I was undefeated for eight years, or whatever it was, it was athlete first and then human,’ he said. ‘Now it’s human first and then athlete. That’s a good gamble. We don’t really know what the outcome’s going to be. We obviously need to switch up what we’re doing in training to a certain extent. I’ve been in my new training base 12 weeks so let’s keep it in perspective.’
Two lanes to his right, Scoland’s Archie Goodburn was swimming with terminal cancer. Doctors found three inoperable brain tumours two years ago and his presence offered a dose of perspective for the man whose life has turned into a swimming pool soap opera.
There is nothing glamourous about competing in Glasgow. Events finish late and start early in what feels like a tarted-up leisure centre. Sleep is a luxury. Ramsay-Peaty has been catching the double decker bus to Tollcross with his fellow swimmers. Single fares on the local First Bus service normally cost £2.45. No VIP shuttles here. With no road closures, the traffic tends to bottleneck at the turning off Wellcross Road, allowing plenty of thinking time
After missing out on gold over 100m on Saturday night, Ramsey-Peaty questioned the sacrifices required for this life. “What’s the point of all the 5.30ams? What’s the point of all the metres every day? What’s the point of feeling exhausted all the time? What’s the point of saying, “No” to all the family events because of training?” Time will tell how strong his appetite remains for mouthfuls of chlorine.
Ramsay-Peaty spoke of the importance of fatherhood as he and Holly expect their first child
The legendary British swimmer took to social media with a lengthy statement on Monday
The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, at least, offer a more glamorous proposition. The swimming meets will be staged at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which most recently hosted the World Cup quarter-final between Spain and Belgium. The 100,000-square-foot NFL field will be transformed into the largest swimming venue in Olympic history. Perhaps the idea of a family trip to the West Coast to watch dad’s final race will make it all worthwhile.
‘There’s been a lot of learning this week,’ he said. ‘
‘I said it in Birmingham but this is absolutely my last Commonwealths. I just went out there and enjoyed it – really enjoyed it – but we just weren’t fast enough, weren’t good enough. We have to look at why, because the data this season has been tracking on an upward trend.
‘I can’t really put my finger on it, where I just lost that power to the stroke. Something’s not kicking but I’ve got to learn from it. To get two bronzes, with a relay to go, I’d say that’s success. I’m not going to be too hard on myself, not anymore.’
Earlier, on TNT Sports, he admitted: ‘I don’t even know what tomorrow looks like really, there’s a lot of learning. I’ve felt ‘off’ this week and I don’t know why. We are trying new things.’
This is not the fastest pool on the swimming circuit. Most modern elite Olympic swimming pools are three metres deep but the waves in this shallower, two-metre basin can add a few tenths of a second to finish times.
Ramsay-Peaty’s comments after his 100m race on Saturday night raised eyebrows among some of his peers. He claimed he deserved more. He felt his input – physical and mental – warranted more than a third-place finish. Several athletes accused him of arrogance and entitlement. They wake up just as early and train just as hard, but last night it felt like he had been away for a reality check.
When the adrenaline is still pumping through his body after races, Ramsay-Peaty sometimes says things he regrets. He can be unfiltered. His post on Instagram before the race was perhaps more measured. ‘I know this story won’t be filled with glory, victory and gold,’ he wrote. ‘However I’ll keep fighting, learning, adapting and striving for excellence until I can no longer give anymore. Sport isn’t a fairytale if your happiness and self-worth are only validated by medals. But it can be, if you find value in the hardship, the struggle and the tough times which might ultimately lead you to what you seek.’
He spent Sunday morning scribbling notes in his hotel room in Glasgow. ‘Am I good enough? Am I not good enough?’ asked the monkey in the back of his mind. He is now chasing the pack – as well as his younger self – yet he remains one of sport’s greatest showman. When the Chinese, American, Dutch join him in the pool, the chase will not get any easier.
