Adam Peaty has revealed he endured "three years of hell" during his darkest moments.
The Olympian has previously remained tight-lipped about his life away from the swimming pool but in a candid admission, he has shared some of the battles he has faced in recent years. Uttoxeter-born Adam admits he was "broken" by swimming and at one point, never wanted to see a pool again.
It was then that Adam turned to partying and booze to escape the thoughts about his sport. Adam, 29, saw his life turn upside down in 2022 after the breakdown of his relationship with Eirianedd Munro, the mother of his child. The pair had dated for three years after meeting on a dating app while he was training and their relationship moved quickly.
The Cupra ambassador had been participating on Strictly Come Dancing and there were rumours he kissed his professional dance partner, which he denied. It was at this time that he also lost his eight-year unbeaten streak in the swimming pool before taking a break from the sport after the Commonwealth Games.
Olympian Adam Peaty has opened up about his struggles (PA)As well as his previous heartache, Adam became embroiled in a physical altercation with fellow Team GB swimmer, Luke Greenbank, with Peaty requiring stitches. The incident unfolded after Peaty, 28, allegedly slapped Luke Greenbank's backside and made a comment about his partner. Greenbank, 25, has been dating fellow simmer Anna Hopkin, 27, for two years. She was previously in a relationship with Peaty.
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But now, Adam is in a relationship with Holly Ramsay, the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon and has also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. After landing his quickest swim in the 100m breaststroke since 2021, Peaty said: "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.
The Olympic swimmer split from Eirianedd Munro in 2022 after he competed on Strictly Come Dancing (WireImage)
He's now dating Holly Ramsay (hollyramsayy/Instagram)"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." Speaking in May 2023, Adam admitted he felt he was living with a "devil on his shoulder" during his depression and alcohol battles.
He went on to say that he "hears voices inside his head", which caused him to doubt his abilities. He added: "If I was going out to a race sometimes it would be 'you don't deserve this', even though I've done seven, eight, 10 years of work." He went on to add: "As athletes, our brains are wired a little bit differently, we are constantly chasing reward.
"How do you fill that void, especially when you're injured or in the off-season? You're constantly looking for a high or a reward and a lot of athletes do struggle with alcohol. It was something that I was constantly doing and I was like 'I don't want this in my life.'"
If you are struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction, advice and support can be found at alcoholchange.org.uk.
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
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