- The 29-year-old said after the race: ‘It just hurt too much this time’
- GB lost bronze to France, while China won gold and the US took silver
- Peaty’s fast breaststroke leg gave GB the lead, but the team later faded away
Adam Peaty has announced his retirement from swimming after suffering another broken heart during the men’s 4x100m medley relay.
The 29-year-old rider, speaking after Team GB finished fourth in the race, explained that “it just hurt too much this time”, just days after admitting it had been the “worst week” of his life after battling Covid.
Peaty and his team-mates narrowly missed out on a medal tonight at the Aquatic Centre after winning bronze in the relay against France.
China took gold after Pan Zhanle set a world record freestyle, leaving the US to settle for silver on the final night of swimming at the Paris Olympics.
The British team started the race strongly until Peaty showed his class with a fast breaststroke to take the lead.
Adam Peaty has revealed he will be ‘taking a step back’ from swimming after suffering more heartbreak
The 29-year-old, speaking after Team GB finished fourth in the race, explained that ‘it just hurt too much this time’
The British team started the race solidly until Peaty showed his class with a fast breaststroke
Over the last two stages, Team GB slowed the pace and butterfly swimmer Duncan Scott in particular was unable to keep up with his French rival Maxime Grousset.
Great Britain was not represented in the women’s medley relay final, the last event in the pool, and finished the Games with one gold and four silver medals in the arena.
Team USA again dominated the pool with 28 medals, including eight gold, while Australia took 18 medals, including seven gold.
After his final race at the Olympics, the legendary swimmer was BBC about his future: ‘Tomorrow is never a promise, so why worry?
“If my heart wants it, I want it and I will absolutely sign a contract with myself to do it – but that may take a while.”
“But I think I really need to step away from the sport because it just hurts too much this time. It really does.”
Peaty was also asked about the departure of Mel Marshall, who coached the swimmer for 17 years, to Australia.
He said, “Tonight could have been emotional. It was her [Marshall] last one with me I think in that sense. It could have been my last one here – I don’t know.
‘I think she has a great future ahead of her and she has the right talent that will hopefully come her way in Australia.
Peaty and his team-mates narrowly missed out on a medal tonight at the Aquatic Centre after being beaten by France in the relay bronze
China took gold after a world record freestyle by Pan Zhanle at the end
As a result, the US had to settle for silver on the final evening of swimming at the Olympic Games in Paris.
“You can’t swim badly at Southport. It’s just an incredible pool and she deserves it. She deserves to lead that program. She deserves to give them the best.
‘I’m going to visit her in January and take a month off from everything, but I don’t really know what the answer is
“If my family needs me, my family needs me. If my heart wants it, it wants it, but I’m going to enjoy today instead of worrying about tomorrow.”