Adam Peaty has admitted he and wife Holly Ramsay could have handled the spotlight surrounding their relationship better as the Olympic champion looks to draw a line under months of off-pool drama.
The three-time Olympic gold medallist returns to action at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this week determined to shift the focus back onto his swimming after an eventful period in his personal life.
Peaty has dominated headlines since marrying Holly, the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, in December, with the wedding followed by intense scrutiny over his relationship with members of his family.
The build-up to the ceremony was overshadowed by reports of a family rift, while the wedding itself attracted further attention after photographers and security staff became involved in a confrontation outside the venue before the ceremony began.
Now, with the Commonwealth Games providing his first major championship since those events, Peaty says he wants to be judged on what happens in the pool rather than away from it.
“That’s the Adam people should see – the racer,” he told The Independent.
“Everything else is my private life.”
The 31-year-old acknowledged that the attention surrounding his relationship has been difficult to navigate, admitting he and Holly have not always managed the outside “noise” as effectively as they would have liked.
Adam Peaty has admitted he and wife Holly Ramsay could have handled the spotlight surrounding their relationship better as the Olympic champion looks to draw a line under months of off-pool drama
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However, he believes the best response is to let his performances speak for themselves.
“Pressure can be given to anyone, but it’s probably best in my hands because the more pressure I’m under, the better I perform,” Peaty said.
“At the same time, you need a strategy for managing the noise and we probably haven’t done that as well as we could, but I’ll make sure the swimming does the talking.
“We can’t control every variable in life, but I can stand behind the blocks and not really care about what people’s opinions are.
“Being at peace with a 100m or 50m breaststroke race is a beautiful place to be.
“Nothing else matters in that moment. That’s the beauty of sport.
“If you can find that state of mind, it’s an incredible place to be.”
Interest in Peaty’s private life has remained high following his marriage, with further attention arriving after he and Holly announced they are expecting their first child together.
Despite the off-pool distractions, Peaty heads to Glasgow as one of the biggest names competing, with British Swimming hoping the former world-record holder can once again deliver on the biggest stage.
His silver medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024 marked an emotional return after stepping away from competition during 2023 to prioritise his mental health.
That experience has also transformed how Peaty now measures success.
Adam Peaty insists success is no longer by medals in his mind as he prepares for the Commonwealth Games
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Rather than focusing solely on medals, the breaststroke specialist insists his biggest goal is knowing he has left nothing behind when he steps out of the pool.
“I don’t see success as medals anymore,” he explained.
“That’s not defeatist and it’s not waving the white flag. It’s probably the opposite.
“Success for me is coming away from Glasgow knowing I’ve done absolutely everything I possibly could to finish as high as I can.”
