“The Sport Broke Me”: 3x Olympic Champion Opens Up About His Intense Mental Struggle Behind Aquatics Swimming World Cup Comeback in Berlin

Mental health problems are not new to the swimming world. Even the world’s fastest swimmer, Michael Phelps, has gone through a problematic saga of his own. At one point, the Baltimore bullet was on the verge of a complete breakdown and needed help. Similarly, in recent history, American ace swimmer Caeleb Dressel has revealed struggles of his own. Now, his English rival from the 2020 Tokyo Games has also opened up about his mental health problems to indicate an unusual pattern.

Triple Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty had to step away from the sport to curtail his unending thirst for rewards. He went on a break to assess his mental state and confessed to being on a “self-destructive spiral”. He returned to the swimming scene for the 2023 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, which can take him to the Paris Olympics in 2024. Will Adam Peaty get over his mental health issues and find success in another Olympics?

Swimming phenom Adam Peaty’s triumphant return

The first leg of the 2023 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup begins in Berlin on October 6. Adam Peaty is part of the “Elite 11” squad that promises to heighten the competition at the World Cup this year. Ahead of his race in the German capital, the OBE recipient took to social media to express his joy at making it back into the pool.

On October 3, he used Facebook to relay the thoughts racing in his mind, writing, “Race Weekend in Berlin for the @world_aquatics cup 🇩🇪🏆 This will be my first race since the start of the year and I’m excited to get my season rolling… I honestly doubted that I’d ever race again because the sport broke me and spat me out after a decade of relentless pursuit”.

During his break, Adam Peaty took the time to find his values and establish ground rules for himself. He wanted to keep a leash on his hunger for the win that often took him down a dark path. Peaty had to fight against depression and anxiety to come back to the beloved sport and would not allow himself to fall back into old habits.

He currently holds the world record in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events. The swimmer is excited to revisit his old timings and even surpass them in Berlin. However, the 28-year-old swimming ace also revealed the loneliness that lies beneath the surface of all the pomp and show in an Olympian’s life.

Adam Peaty unmasking the source of his troubles

Adam Peaty enjoys glory during the competition and receives ovation from fans standing atop the podium. However, his personal life is fraught with loneliness and emotional struggles. His problems were exacerbated last year when his relationship with the mother of his son worsened. He took to heavy alcohol consumption and even thought that the joy of swimming victories would be enough to help him forget his problems. However, nothing worked.

Read More: “You Have Nothing to Prove”: Olympic Champion Adam Peaty’s Emotional Mental Health Confession Attracts Wide Support From Sports World

In a BBC interview, the legendary swimmer said, “A good friend of mine said a gold medal is the coldest thing you will ever wear…It’s the coldest thing because you think it will fix all of your problems. It will not”. When he realized this, Peaty came to his senses and sought help. Now, he is on the mend and hopes to bring this mental clarity to the Paris Olympics.

WATCH THIS STORY: Here Are Five Bodybuilders Who Gave Better Biceps Than Legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger