After overcoming depression and pain, the legendary British swimmer has returned to the pool to take up the mantle of men's breaststroke
Adam Peaty is the name that will be mentioned when anyone talks about the men's breaststroke, and he was not absent from the Paris Olympics stage.
From being crowned the "King of the Breaststroke" at the Rio Olympics, to defending his title at the Tokyo Olympics and continuing his glory, Peaty was the unbeatable figure in the pool for a long time. However, before stepping onto the Paris stage, he experienced an unexpected slump. Injuries, depression, alcoholism, and emotional disorders... The British swimmer who had created many brilliant achievements once fell into confusion and despair.
But he finally gave himself a second chance, this time not only for the championship but also for finding the self who could enjoy swimming and sports.
The familiar figure of Adam Peaty appeared in the pool again in the men's 100m breaststroke competition at the Paris Olympics.
In the end, the legendary British athlete won a precious silver medal with a time of 59.05 seconds, and this silver medal was even more valuable to him than the gold medal.
"The arrival of my child was the light in my life during the darkest times"
Peaty said. His life was consumed by emptiness and depression during the most difficult period.
"I tried to drink enough alcohol to numb myself, and then wake up the next day and drink some more.
Everything was colorless at that time, even though the flowers were red, they were still gray in my mind. He sought help from a professional doctor and was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The decline of a legendary star in the sport of swimming left the world's swimming fans feeling regretful, but fortunately, Petya himself did not sentence his own swimming career to death.
In the process of fully getting rid of the gloomy emotions, Petya's family and friends contributed a lot, and their company and encouragement were what Petya considered as a helping hand in the darkness.
And his young son also became a factor that motivated him. "The arrival of my son is the light of my life," Petya described the importance of his son to him. In addition, his interest in gardening and the habit of keeping a diary gradually helped him regain control over his life and himself.
Ultimately, with the help of many outside forces, he slowly came out of the psychological gloom, and what was more important was that now he truly understood that in the swimming pool, he didn't have to fulfill the expectations of others, but only fight for his own love. "I do this not for others, but for myself. It's the first time I think this way. I am not forced to work hard, but I really want to do so." So I came back to challenge myself and I wanted to improve. I wanted to be a better person.
And I stood in front of the world again at the Paris Olympics. I am still the legendary athlete that nobody dares to underestimate, but I am now a completely different person than I used to be.
"If someone is going through a breakdown, I hope they can find themselves again. My favorite saying is: Ships are safe in the harbor, but that's not what they're built for. We must set sail and bravely face the waves, storms, and hurricanes to reach the other side."
Coming out of depression and finding new motivation, Peaty also hopes that his story will inspire more people who are going through tough times to pick themselves up again, and that his battles in the pool in Paris will not be the final chapter of his swimming career.
