Olympic 100m breaststroke champion Adam Peaty says that becoming a father has given him a new perspective and clarity as he prepares to start his International Swimming League season with London Roar.
Peaty and partner Eiri Munro became first-time parents when son George-Anderson was born last month.
Photo Courtesy: @adam_peaty
The double world-record holder is now in Budapest with Roar who start their campaign on Sunday against Aqua Centurions, DC Trident and Team Iron.
The eight-time world champion is relishing fatherhood which has also seen him hit the heights in training.
He told Swimming World:
“Fatherhood’s good, really good. I’m getting my dad strength.
“It’s an exciting time obviously. I have a very different perspective on not only life but what I do in the pool, what I do out of the pool and everything else around it. It has given me a new energy.
“Over these last three weeks – even with George disturbing my sleep or making the adjustment – Mel (coach Mel Marshall) says I’ve had some of the best training she’s ever seen.
“I think that motivation was very timely and needed, I’ve done it for so long now.
“There’s something about it where you’ve got a different type of energy and different understanding of the world, what really matters and what really doesn’t matter.
“It has given me that clarity I guess.”
It is the first time that Peaty has been away from son George and partner Eiri for more than a single day.
If London Roar reach the final it could mean the Briton remaining in the Hungarian capital for over five more weeks.
Peaty anticipates there will be challenges, saying:
“It’s going to be very hard. I haven’t been away from him for more than a day when we were just trying some experimental recovery stuff – that was hard and (it was) a day.
“We both know what it’s going to take as parents and in a relationship – six weeks away from your partner is hard.
“I just thank technology that we can still communicate, still look at him, still read to him, sing.
“I’m not going to let it get me down: it’s going to be tough, I’m sure there are going to be tears but that‘s what it’s going to take.
“Eiri would rather me be there and do what I need to do than me stay at home saying I’m just going to look at the rest of the world go by. It’s not what I’m about really.”
The 25-year-old is determined to make every single second away from his young family count, looking to maximise his preparation ahead of the Olympics in Tokyo next July.
“I want to make it count anyway but now there’s more pressure to do that.
“At ISL I’m racing and also training. It’s not like I am going away for the weekend to race, I am going to away for possibly six weeks.
“October, November, December is such an important block to get the work done and then you start to build on that January, February, March, April, and then you fine-tune.”
Peaty Ready To Roar
Peaty was part of the London Roar that was edged into second by Energy Standard at the grand finale in Las Vegas last year.
The squad has been shorn of their Australian contingent including Cate and Bronte Campbell, Kyle Chalmers, Emma McKeon and Minna Atherton, heavy hitters who withdrew in the wake of Covid-19.
It is Peaty’s first competition since the Edinburgh International meet in March, weeks before the postponement of Tokyo 2020.
Adam Peaty. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Dave Durden, the USA men’s Olympic coach, described it as a swimming utopia where the athletes can to train and race among the best.
Peaty said:
“It’s the best kind of competition we can have. We’ve got all the world here.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how people respond to training and the isolation plus the racing.
“It’s a very high mindset environment: it’s a continuing mindset and you’ll have people who pop out some really good times and people who will not because they are training so hard.
“If I’m racing and I come fourth I’m going to take it with a pinch of salt because I could be racing someone who has rested for two weeks because they are going to try and beat me.
“I’ve reached that level of maturity – I am not saying I am going to give it them, I’m never going to give anyone an inch – but I know where I’m at and I’m happy with where I’m at.
“I just want to go out there, do the best races I can do technically.
“I’ve done a lot more work on my dive, a lot more works on my pullouts, so hopefully they’ll come in a little bit handy.”
Adam Peaty achieved “Project 56” to post the most prominent world record of the season. Photo Courtesy: Patrick B. Kraemer
He added:
“We’ll see – we’ll get some racing done, have a bit of fun and come home to my boy.
“It’s going to be six weeks to grow, try and get that balance right of training and competition.”
Peaty returns to the Duna Arena where he defended his 50 and 100 breaststroke titles at the 2017 World Championships as well as taking silver in the men’s medley relay.
That was a memorable edition with a passionate, knowledgeable crowd, music and light shows.
This time there will be no spectators although the first match has been a fast and furious spectacle.
Peaty recalled:
“With that many lights and smoke I couldn’t see anyway. I don’t really mind. It’s unfortunate for the fans who love sport and I love looking up to them.
“I remember walking out in 2017 and the ground kind of rumbling with the voices shouting your name and stuff.
“Because it’s not happening now doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen in the future. I think we’ve just got to make the most of this.
“Again this is where you’re going to see other athletes fall off or rise up.
“Can you go better with no crowd or do you perform worse? It’s all going to be about mindset for me and getting that mindset right.
“Just focusing on the race so you’ve still got your team on each side hopefully looking at you and that is what you race for anyway and that is what you hear down at the pool.”
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