Adam Ramsay-Peaty was overcome with emotion after collecting bronze in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday evening.
The three-time Olympic champion, now 31, had arrived at the Tollcross International Centre as the fastest qualifier but could not translate that form into the final.
Australia’s Sam Williamson claimed the gold medal, touching the wall in 59.17 seconds. Remarkably, 18-year-old Filip Nowacki of Jersey took silver in 59.34 seconds — delivering his island’s first Commonwealth Games medal in 35 years.
For Ramsay-Peaty, it was a bittersweet return to the podium. He had failed to medal altogether at the Birmingham Games four years ago, making this result an improvement, albeit a painful one for a swimmer of his pedigree.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty won bronze in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday evening
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The England swimmer’s difficult year has been well documented. His marriage to Holly Ramsay — daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay — last December was overshadowed by a very public family rift that left several relatives without invitations.
In a tearful poolside interview, Ramsay-Peaty conceded that the personal upheaval had weighed heavily upon him.
“It’s hard because I know how hard I’ve worked,” he said. “I know the s*** I’ve been through, which is no fault of my own to be honest but it does take a toll.”
The swimmer had also stepped away from the sport entirely in 2023 to safeguard his mental health, before narrowly missing out on a historic third consecutive Olympic gold in the 100m breaststroke at Paris two years ago.
Moments after the race, Ramsay-Peaty made his way to his wife and kissed her pregnant stomach — the couple are expecting their first child later this year. He also has a son from a previous relationship.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty made his way to wife Holly after collecting his medal
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Adam Ramsay-Peaty admitted he thought he deserved more after settling for bronze
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Speaking with visible emotion, he offered a touching reflection on what truly matters. “My wife is always going to be proud of me,” he said.
“As a father, it doesn’t matter if you come home with the gold, as long as you come home with the teddy, which I did. That’s what matters.”
He was equally forthright about the importance of emotional honesty. “As you can tell, the emotion is always something that I’m going to carry,” he added.
“I’m never going to be afraid to show weakness because it’s so important for making stronger people, making stronger men, stronger fathers, stronger husbands.”
Yet the competitor in Ramsay-Peaty could not mask his frustration at falling short of his own standards.
“I just think I deserve more,” he told BBC Sport. “I know sport isn’t about what you deserve or even what you work for — it’s who gets it on the day. I just know I’m a better athlete than that. It’s very disappointing.”
He likened the experience to a strong football side crashing out in the World Cup group stages. “You know you’re better and it hurts because you know you have to wait for a very long time for the next championships,” he said.
The Uttoxeter-born swimmer acknowledged this was realistically his final Commonwealth Games, adding that he had been quicker earlier in the season, which only deepened his frustration.
An emotional Adam Ramsay-Peaty admits bronze from tonight’s 100m breaststroke hurts but will go again in Glasgow pic.twitter.com/x0izUeUY6U
— Mark Woods (@markbritball) July 25, 2026
Ramsay-Peaty is set to return to the pool today for the 50m breaststroke, an event that holds particular significance for his future ambitions. The shorter distance was recently added to the Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028, giving the veteran a fresh target.
He has committed to at least two more years of competitive swimming, a decision that speaks to his enduring determination despite the emotional toll of recent seasons.
“It took a lot of courage to get back into the sport, so we should be happy with everything we get, but then that contradicts the athlete inside me and what I work for,” he reflected.
