After winning 100m breaststroke gold at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, 30-year-old Adam Peaty of Great Britain settled for silver last summer in Paris.
Peaty came down with COVID-19 during the swimming competition but persevered and came just .02 short of gold, hitting a 59.05 to tie for silver while Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi won gold in a 59.03.
In the months following the Games, Peaty has taken time away from the sport, saying he was unsure what future plans would hold for the man who owns the 14th fastest performances ever produced in his signature event.
With the dawn of a new year, it appears Peaty is getting the racing itch once again but turned to a familiar stalwart for advice for his next move.
Peaty talked to the winningest Olympian of all time, American Michael Phelps, last week, telling his superstar peer he is contemplating going for another Olympic Games in 2028 Los Angeles, as he has a nagging feeling he may not be done.
On the High Performance podcast, Peaty said, “I asked him [Phelps], you’ve retired two times, what did it take to bring you back because I’m in a situation now where I’m like, ‘do I got for LA?”
Phelps didn’t mince words, telling the Brit, “forget all the bullsh**….what does your heart tell you?”
Peaty conveyed on the podcast that ‘my heart says that Paris wasn’t enough, I don’t want to end in Paris.’
However, he also said, “But my experience tells me I am done here because of the amount of effort it took to get to Paris alone.
“That silver medal gave me more than gold in that moment ever would have..it brought perspective, happiness.”
Listen to the interview excerpt below where Peaty says, “There’s something coming out of my heart, my soul that Michael Phelps helped me recognize last week.
“I don’t think I’m done.”
We’ll see where recently engaged Peaty goes from here, knowing something will change if he does pursue a fourth Olympics. His longtime coach Mel Marshall has taken up the head coaching job at Griffith University in Australia, which means Peaty would potentially pursue his dream either in an entirely new country or with a new coach.
Winningest? What a bizarre word!
It is imprecise (by medals? by Golds?) and ugly. This is the only site I see use it used regularly.
New York Times
Associated Press
ESPN
The English language is an open source language. We didn’t put a peg in it in 1927 and say “this is it, the language will remain unchanged forever more.” I’m sorry that your English teacher lied to you.
And yet, it’s a word none-the-less.
All words are pretty bizarre when you think too hard about them. It’s called semantic satiation.
There is ‘bizarre’ and there is unnecessary neologism…words should be simple, clear and precise in journalism.
I’m sorry, are you saying that you don’t know what the word winningnest means?
I don’t know why the Commonwealth crew always gets in such a tizzy about this word. The word is not that neo – it’s been in common use since at least the 1970s, and it is used by reputable publications all over the place.
It was a word from the same decade that also brought pharses like “whistleblowing” and “soft skills” and “screensaver” and “junk food” and the phrase “politically correct” and “computer viruses” and “personal computers.”
Star Lord: “it’s a made up word!”
Thor: “all words are made up!”
hahahaha
It’s not a commonwealth thing to get into a tizzy about it – it may just be individuals who happen to be from the commonwealth.
Winningest is a totally cromulent word. I don’t understand why anyone is so confused by it.
Bro you’re using words invented by AMERICAN CARTOON TELEVISION SHOWS IN THE 1990S? Did you even finish middle school??
Yes Braden – I’m acutely aware of the origin of cromulent.
Time for you to take some leave and get off the internet for a while – you’re a bit testy.
its super simple and clear lol
Flub in final paragraph. Los Angeles would be Peaty’s fourth Olympics, not third
Thanks, fixed.
From what I can see, his life pre-Paris was dominated by non-swimming events: injury, new baby, break-up, etc. If he was just with in 2 seconds of his PB he would have easily won the gold.
If he can keep his life focused on swimming for the next 3 years or so, I believe he can at least challenge for the gold – unless someone new with an insane talent comes along.
He does not have to prove anything to the world, but he does have to live with his decision, no matter what.
I really like him. I wish him all the best and hope that whatever he decides to do, it brings him happiness and inner-peace.
He has nothing to prove to anyone (maybe just himself). Enjoy your life and don’t make a problem where there isn’t one!!!
Fortunately, GB has Max Morgan coming through the ranks. They don’t need a sore loser like Peaty who comes up with all kinds of excuses after losing.
Thank god Nicolò Martinenghi humbled him in Paris. That whole BBC/Skynews 3 peat propaganda non sense was put to bed pretty quickly.
56.88
Do I need say anything more brother
Qin Haiyang’s 50-100-200 triple gold in Fukuoka is far more impressive.
eh that’s become a thing that happens every worlds now.
Sometimes they even win medals in other events too.
That doesn’t even make sense, tell me when this has happened every worlds. A stroke sweep gold in long course worlds? Qin was way more impressive. What are you even talking about
It’s not.
Peaty ruled the 100 breast for 8 years, and has taken the WR from 58 to 56, breaking it 5 times, is a double Olympic champion and 3 time Olympic medalist individually, and has 6 individual World Championship gold medals. Qin had one good year, no individual Olympic medals, no individual WRs. He is nowhere near Peaty in greatness.
Peaty was good in one race. That one race being arguably one of the least competitive within the sport. All the greats were good at multiple unfortunately
So the 50 breast doesn’t exist I guess.
Not in the Olympics. Not exactly a premier event. Becomes impressive when in the context of a 50-100-200 sweep. Outside of that? Although the longevity argument makes sense. 2014 to 2020 as a run is very impressive
I hope Pan gets this sort of treatment because 46.5 100 free is infinitely more impressive
There exists a world where Qin could break that world record in the future, even if slim chance. There exists no reality in which peaty wins the 200 brst at worlds, let alone all three in the same meet.
How do you know what they “need “? Who are you? Why don’t you try out?
Very aggressive response.
L take.
Maybe he thinks that by 2028 WADA will grow a pair and ban China.
Peaty didn’t lose to a Chinese in Paris.
But I guess you don’t care about this detail.
Imo he should take the next 1-2 years off of swimming and the revisit the decision. If the fire is still there then, 2 years would be plenty of time to get back in shape for LA
“My heart says that Paris wasn’t enough — I don’t want to end in Paris […] But my experience tells me I am done here because of the amount of effort it took to get to Paris alone.”
That is a tough realization — to know that your heart’s desire is to continue, but to recognize that it might not be physically and mentally feasible.
Wishing him well with this decision and with life both in and out of the pool.
We’re going to have an aging fleet of international breaststrokers until some young guns can put up faster times.