Adam Ramsay-Peaty finished third in the 100m breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday, a result that left the three-time Olympic champion in tears and questioning whether he should continue competing in the event.
Ramsay-Peaty had entered the final as the fastest qualifier but could not close the gap in the second half of the race. He was beaten by Australia's Sam Williamson and by 18-year-old Filip Nowacki of Jersey, a swimmer Ramsay-Peaty has mentored. His time of 59.65 seconds was more than four-tenths slower than his semi-final swim and three seconds off his personal best from seven years ago.
According to a report by BBC Sport, the Englishman was visibly emotional after the race. "I work a lot harder than what it says on the scoreboard," he said, his eyes and cheeks red. "It hurts too much. I have got to approach training differently now because it hurts too much."
The result follows a silver medal at the Paris Olympics two years ago, another painful near-miss for a swimmer who went unbeaten in the 100m breaststroke for eight years and holds the 14 fastest times in history. He also holds three Olympic gold medals and eight world titles. He stepped away from the sport in 2023 amid mental health struggles before returning to competition.
Ramsay-Peaty described his feelings in pointed terms. "I just think I deserve more. I know sport isn't about what you deserve or even what you work for - it's who gets it on the day," he said. "I just know I'm a better athlete than that. It's very disappointing."
He compared the experience to an early tournament exit. "It's like getting knocked out in the group stages in the World Cup for a very good team. You know you're better and it hurts because you know you have to wait for a very long time for the next championships."
Ramsay-Peaty said this is likely his last Commonwealth Games and acknowledged uncertainty about whether the 100m remains viable for him. "Is the 100 even viable any more? I don't know," he said. "When it hurts like this, the 50 is probably my super strength with my power."
He committed to another four years of competition after Paris when the 50m race was added to the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He is scheduled to return to the pool Sunday morning for the 50m breaststroke event.
