Adam Peaty has given a rare interview about his fractured relationship with his family, setting out the one change he needs to see before any reconciliation. Speaking to the Guardian after this week's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the 31-year-old said he would not simply forget the past, but stressed that "forgiveness takes time."
The former Olympic champion finished with a bronze medal in his strongest event, a result he described as a crushing blow. In a poolside interview after the race, he broke down in tears, saying that issues behind the scenes have been "taking their toll" on him.
Condition for reconciliation
When asked about the ongoing fallout with his parents, Caroline and Mark, Peaty explained that he believes in forgiveness as a Christian, but made clear it would not come easily. He said there has to be forgiveness, "but it has to come from a place where I feel like they've improved as people, in a sense, and opened that communication up."
The feud began at the end of last year when Peaty married Holly, 26. Since then, he has refused to speak publicly about the drama, and said the fallout has not affected him too badly. However, with Holly now pregnant with their first child, he admitted he worries about how the feud could shape his child's view of relationships.
Family keen to bridge the gap
His family have been actively calling for him to help mend the rift. Peaty, who said "forgiveness takes time" and does not mean forgetting, has not ruled out a future improvement in the relationship.
After only managing bronze, he was visibly emotional at the poolside, telling reporters: "I think it's hard as I know how hard I work and I know the s*** I've been through. Which is no fault of my own to be honest but it does take a toll you know, and I think the choices I made over the last few months have been hard ones. But I'm happy at the same time that I could get here and I didn't quit in Paris but I deserve more."
