Adam Ramsay-Peaty, 31, broke down in tears after winning bronze in the 100m breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday, appearing to refer to a family fallout.
Emotional interview
The Olympian, who had won gold in each of his three previous Commonwealth Games, was visibly disappointed. Supported by his wife Holly Ramsay, who is expecting their first child, he said: "It's hard because I know how hard I've worked. I know the s**t I've been through, which is no fault of my own. It does take a toll."
Family background
Ramsay-Peaty's recent career and wedding to Holly last December were overshadowed by reports of a fallout with his family. Only his sister Bethany attended the ceremony at Bath Abbey; his parents and brothers were absent. His mother Caroline was not invited to Holly's hen party, while her mother Tana and Victoria Beckham were. Months later, Ramsay-Peaty posted on Instagram that there are "two sides to every story."
Future plans
Despite the disappointment, Ramsay-Peaty vowed to compete at next month's European Aquatics Championships in Paris from August 10 to 16. He added: "Over the last couple of months I've had to make some hard decisions so I could focus on doing my job. I've had to ignore a lot of the rubbish people write online. Enough is enough. This goes beyond sport. It's about being decent people. We all have to do better."
Personal reflections
Ramsay-Peaty also said: "I'm never afraid to show emotion. It's important because it helps create stronger people, stronger men, stronger fathers and stronger husbands." He reflected on his performance: "This cycle especially, I've worked harder than ever. To get a result like that hurts because I know I'm better than that. It's still very raw. I honestly feel like I deserve more... It has to mean something. For me, that means striving for excellence, and today wasn't excellence. That's where the emotion comes from."
