Adam Ramsay-Peaty left in tears after bronze medal at Commonwealth Games

Adam Ramsay-Peaty broke down in tears after failing claiming bronze in the 100 metres breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games.

The three-time Olympic champion, who was also heartbroken in Paris two years ago, had to settle for a third spot in Glasgow.

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Ramsay-Peaty was pipped by Australia’s Sam Williamson and 18-year-old Filip Nowacki of Jersey in a race he had dominated for eight years.

The 31-year-old came into the final as the fastest qualifier but his time of 59.65 seconds was more than four-tenths slower than his semi-final swim and a whopping three seconds off his personal best.

Ramsay-Peaty, the world-record holder in the discipline, took a break from the sport in 2023 due to a mix of mental health and burnout issues.

Adam Ramsay-Peaty reacts after Commonwealth Games bronze

Asked what was going through his head after coming third at the Commonwealth Games, he told talkSPORT’s Michael Weadock: “Well, unfortunately, sport is sport, and you never know what’s over the mountain.”

“It could be your biggest dream, or it could be your worst dream, and actually having the courage to climb the mountain and look over the peak is what we do today, and unfortunately it wasn’t what we expected.

“So I think for me at 31 years old with my second child on the way we’ve got a lot of decisions to make because this sport does cost and it’s been a hell of a cycle, three months, four months moving down to London, adjusting everything, really rushing to get up to pace and I honestly think back now I’m like there’s not a decision that went wrong, there’s not a thing that I could have done better.

“I absolutely worked every cell of my body into this meet, and I think with Europeans on the horizon now in the next two weeks, I think we’ve got an opportunity to fix that.

“It wouldn’t be my first time where I’ve had a slower Commonwealth or slower championships into another one, but I’m just spitballing.

“I don’t really know how to answer that, to be honest; it’s too raw.”

Opening up further on being an ’emotional guy’, Ramsay-Peaty replied: “Yeah, because I’m a father, I think I’m not ever afraid to show weakness because I know how important it is to show emotion.

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“I know how important it is to show happiness and love, but also times of failure, in a sense – a moment of silence, I guess with myself.

“But I think that emotion has helped me win world records, win gold medals.

“But it also makes me realise that a bronze medal isn’t the end of the world, and I can still learn from it, I can still bounce back, and I’ve still got a big dog inside of me that wants to fight.”

Ramsay-Peaty, who also has eight world titles, has already confirmed he plans to compete at a fourth Olympic Games in 2028.

However, his bronze in Glasgow will be the first medal in his collection that has been won under his new name, having tied the knot last December to wife Holly – the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Ramsay-Peaty continued: “Yeah, I think that’s a good thing.

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“I mean, I don’t keep any of my medals, to be honest, apart from the Olympic ones. I always give them away because it’s just a fleeting moment for me.

“I remember it with my heart, I remember it with my mind and my spirit and for me it’s just a piece of medal that represents that.

“It’s not really that important without sounding arrogant, I guess.
I’d rather a younger kid experience and feel that to stick them to their dreams. But yeah, in essence it would be my first one.

“It’s been a while, two years, and we’re still getting used to this format. Obviously still getting used to my emotions at 31 years old, thought it got easier, but I think with a daughter on the way they’re only going to get worse in a sense.

“But you know I think we look at sport and we look at what I have been able to achieve, it’s been incredible, but also what I’ve been able to learn. That’s the real lesson here, it is sport, and it is beautiful.”