Adam Peaty expressed that he was experiencing “happy tears” after narrowly missing out on securing his third consecutive Olympic title in the 100m breaststroke, finishing just 0.02 seconds behind the winner. He chose not to attribute his unexpected defeat to a sore throat.
Following a tense race where he shared the silver medal with the American Nic Fink, Peaty acknowledged his tears but clarified they stemmed from pride in his comeback journey following burnout, excess partying, and a broken foot.
“I’m not crying because I have lost,” he stated. “In my heart, I have won. These are happy tears. If you’re willing to put yourself on the line every single time, there’s no such thing as a loss. I’m thrilled that the deserving winner prevailed.
“This marks my sixth Olympic medal, three of which are gold. I think the 14-year-old who embarked on this journey would have happily accepted that. This sport has challenged me greatly, yet it has also given me purpose. It has shaped who I am.”
However, he became emotional again when reflecting on his three-year-old son, George, and their exchange after the race. “He usually asks: ‘Daddy, are you the fastest boy?’” Peaty shared. “But today, he simply said, ‘I love you, Daddy.’”
Peaty’s final time of 59.05 seconds was slower than his semi-final performance, but he maintained that he had no regrets. “It’s been a very long journey back,” he remarked. “I gave it my all out there. I did my best.
When discussing the race, Peaty mentioned that he primarily concentrated on his key opponents, the Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang and Dutch athlete Arno Kamminga. “In my mind, they were the two to beat, and I got a little sidetracked. When I touched the wall, I genuinely believed I had won. But I’m aware that I’m getting older now. I can’t expect to compete relentlessly without some sacrifices.”
Peaty noted he was “just 1% or 2% off” due to the sore throat he developed on the morning of the final. He added, “These are not excuses, just realities athletes navigate through to find success. Seeing Nicolò win truly makes me happy for him. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”
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After the race, Martinenghi embraced Peaty, expressing that winning the Olympic title was a “dream come true.” “I wear a chain with seven on it because when I was younger, I trained in lane seven,” he explained. “This morning, my coach told me it might bring me luck.”
