Adam Peaty: 'Faith got me out of depression struggle and back in the pool'

Three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty is looking to win his third 100m breaststroke gold in a row and credits finding faith with helping him return to the pool, as Ben Chapman reports

Britain’s most successful ever male Olympic swimmer has told ITV News he did not think he would be in the pool for the 2024 Paris Games but now he wants to equal US star Michael Phelps.

Adam Peaty says he’s aiming to defend his Olympic 100 metre breaststroke title for a second time, a feat only achieved once before by Phelps.

But for a number of years, Peaty’s swimming career was thrown into doubt after a struggle with his mental health kept him out of the pool.

He said his faith and determination helped him pull through.

Adam Peaty reacts after winning the Men’s 100 Breaststroke Final during day one of the 2024 British Swimming Championships / Credit: PA

“You know, it’s been a very hard road, a very hard just up and down and trying to find a way through it, trying to find a way to be positive every single day or even get to training,” the Team GB swimmer said.

“A few communities have helped me, massively one in my church. I go every Sunday in Nottingham.

“In sport, it’s a very lonely journey where you’re having those internal questions every single day.”

Despite his success, Peaty has found the three years since the last Olympics in Tokyo difficult. He broke up with the mother of his young son and struggled with depression and alcoholism.

But now the 29-year-old is ready to give the Olympic Games in Paris his “best approach”.

He said: “Honestly, it isn’t about the gold medals, and everyone’s probably thinking BS right. But for me it it really isn’t.

“I can’t go into that Olympic Games in Paris with all that pressure of I’ve got to win I’ve got to win.

“It’s my third one in a row, potentially, I’ve got to go in now peace peacefully and calmly and go.”