Adam Ramsay-Peaty suffered more Commonwealth Games heartbreak after missing out on gold in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke final.
The three-time Olympic champion had been hoping to bounce back after winning bronze in the 100m final.
Ramsay-Peaty had been left in tears after finishing third in the event, in which he has held the world record since 2015.
The 31-year-old was left to settle for bronze again with Australia’s Sam Williamson storming to gold ahead of South Africa’s Michael Houlie.
Ramsay-Peaty had made a slow start to the final and was unable to claw back the deficit in the sprint race, with his rival Williamson completing the 50m and 100m double.
In the build-up to the race, Ramsay-Peaty had shared an emotional post on Instagram where he admitted his future ‘won’t be filled with glory’ and labelled sport as ‘cruel’.
The legendary swimmer – who is married to the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, Holly – declared that his career is worth more than gold in a lengthy statement on social media, insisting he is ‘not finished’.
Family and fatherhood have shifted Ramsay-Peaty’s priorities of late, with the swimmer and Holly expecting their first child together, but he has insisted he has no plans to retire before the next Olympics.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty reacts after winning bronze in the men’s 50m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games
His wife Holly was seen watching on as Ramsay-Peaty secured his second medal of the Games
‘A proud moment for me after a monumental effort to climb back from the Olympics two years ago,’ Ramsay-Peaty said in a statement on Monday, referencing his bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke.
‘But as we know, sport is cruel, it’s the same reason that it’s beautiful. But why do it? I still love standing on the blocks, hearing the roar of the crowd, fighting inch by inch in every stroke, putting myself on the line, and, because I’m not finished. Ultimately, I know these are the stories I will be telling my children and their children.
‘Bronze in the 100m was a bittersweet moment, I must put it into the perspective that it’s my first championship since Paris 2024. But with that, I know in my soul that I am capable of much more, as all athletes, I push myself to the extremity in training for better results. The race just didn’t come together unfortunately and I am building my race skills back together.
‘The canvas is set and I know this story won’t be filled with glory, victory and gold. However I’ll keep fighting, learning, adapting and striving for excellence until I can no longer give anymore. Sport isn’t a fairytale if your happiness and self-worth are only validated by medals. But it can be, if you find value in the hardship, the struggle and the tough times which might ultimately lead you to what you seek.’
Ramsay-Peaty continued with a message to the next generation, adding: ‘To the younger athletes, never be discouraged by a performance you’re not happy with, do not be afraid to be vulnerable in knowing that your training deserved more and use the pain to keep fighting. Enjoy every second because this journey goes much faster than you think.
‘To the people out there who want to hurt me and my family with comments, I have seen this story thousand times with other athletes from many sports. We are athletes, doing something we love and that is our deepest passion. As it’s said, be the change you want to see in the world, and, I want a better world for the next generation of athletes. Love always wins.
‘I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to race again at this level. Thankful for my wife, my friends, my team, and the people in the stands who cheer my name. Racing with my countries’ flag on my cap is the greatest honour. Tonight, I go again.’
Ramsay-Peaty, pictured with wife Holly, also labelled sport ‘cruel’ in an emotional statement
Ramsay-Peaty spoke of the importance of fatherhood as he and Holly expect their first child
The legendary British swimmer took to social media with a lengthy statement on Monday
After finishing third on Saturday, Ramsay-Peaty immediately joined Holly in the stands and kissed his wife’s stomach before returning poolside to deliver an emotional post-race interview.
Breaking down in tears, he said on Saturday: ‘It’s hard because I know how hard I work. I know the s*** I’ve been through, which is no fault of my own, but it does take its toll.
‘I’m not crying because it’s bronze instead of gold. I’m crying because I know I am better than that. I feel like I couldn’t have put any more in and that’s where it hurts, because I’m like “what’s the point of all the metres every day, what’s the point of being exhausted all the time? What’s the point of having to say no to family events because you can’t go to training”?
‘It has to mean something and for me it has to be human excellence and that is not excellence for me. So that’s the emotion that is unfortunately coming out.’
Ramsay-Peaty, who also has a son George with his ex-girlfriend Eirianedd Munro, added: ‘There’s obviously a lot of unanswered questions, which is about right, because we haven’t yet had time to debrief. But that is sport. It can break you. It can make you. You can have highs to highs and lows to lows.
‘My wife is always going to be proud of me. As a father, it doesn’t matter if you come home with a gold – as long as you come home with a teddy, which I did. The emotion is something I’m always going to carry. I’m never going to be afraid to show weakness.’
