ADAM PEATY’S ex-girlfriend has shared a heartfelt message after the swimmer won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Italian underdog Nicolo Martinenghi pipped Peaty to gold by just 0.02 seconds in the men’s 100m breaststroke final last night.
However, there was still cause to celebrate as the 29-year-old won the sixth Olympic gong of his career.
Having previously won gold in the same event in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, this time around saw Staffordshire-born Peaty watched from the stands by his son, George.
Three-year-old George’s mother is Peaty’s ex-girlfriend Eirianedd Munro.
Following the race, Peaty headed into the stands where George and partner Holly Ramsey were waiting to congratulate him.
Emotional Peaty recalled hugging George and crying so much he felt like he had been “stung by a bee”.
Eiri shared pictures to her Instagram story of Peaty and a grinning George in the stands following the event.
She captioned her story: “Congratulations, Adam. George is so proud of you!
“He doesn’t see the worth of a medal, but the absolute strength and determination that got you it.
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“These are the qualities I pray he inherits. This moment will inspire him and drive him for the rest of his life. Thank you for giving him that.”
She followed it up by showing a close up of a beaming George and adding: “Look at the face.”
On celebrating with George, Peaty said: “George normally goes, ‘Daddy, are you the fastest boy?’ and I would’ve said, ‘Not today’.
“But he says, ‘I love you Daddy’ And that’s all I care about.”
Peaty and Eiri were together for three years before they acrimoniously split in August 2022.
The pair welcomed George in September 2020.
By Martin Lipton in Paris
HE WENT out slugging, giving it his all, not backing down.
A performance dragged from deep within, mining every part of his competitive desire.
At Paris La Defense Arena, Adam Peaty made sure he beat the man he expected to have to beat in the 100 metres breaststroke if he was to make Olympic history.
Yet instead of gold this time, it was silver. And a shared silver at that. Beaten, not by China’s Qin Haiyang, the swimmer who should NEVER have been allowed to take part in the race.
But beaten from way out wide in lane seven, by Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, whose name had rarely even been in the conversation about potential winners.
It was not really being mentioned until the final strokes of last night’s race, either. Peaty, sporting a cross and motto “Into the light” tattoo on his midriff, was slightly slow off the blocks and trailed Qin by 0.05 seconds at the turn.
But as he powered through in lane four, too strong for the Chinese, it seemed we were about to witness something truly special, one of the great comeback stories.
With ten metres to go, it was surely Peaty’s race. With five, four, three.
Not two metres or one, though, Martinenghi stealing the glory and the gold.
Martinenghi’s time of 59.03 was modest, more than two seconds slower than Peaty’s 2019 world record, slower than both the Brit and Qin had recorded in the semis on Saturday.
But none of that mattered. It is about the finishing place. For once, in that moment of greatest need, 29-year-old Peaty was found wanting.
Then again, given all that has happened to him in and out of the pool over the past 18 months, none of us should really have been surprised.
After all, when Peaty conquered the world in front of those banks of empty seats at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, it was just business as usual.
He stood then as the dominant force, unbeaten for seven years.
That was a period he was to stretch by a further 12 months until he was dethroned by England team-mate James Wilby at the Commonwealth Games.
At that point he had posted the 18 fastest times in history.
But since then, Peaty has gone through injury, alcoholism, depression and the break-up of his long-term relationship with Eiri Munro, mum of his son George.
It made him look vulnerable, beatable, human. All too beatable, as it turned out — although not for the want of trying. At least he did not lose to Qin, one of the 11 members of the Chinese 2024 team who tested positive for banned heart medication TMZ BEFORE the Tokyo Games to have never served a ban for it.
Those claims the extractor fan, spice rack and drains at the kitchen in their hotel was contaminated was beyond risible.
The World Anti-Doping Agency’s acceptance of it remains utterly shameful.
Peaty said last week that he could handle defeat as long as it was a “fair fight”.
He had that all right, as his reaction to the winner — with both still in the pool — made clear.
There was no anger at the loss of his crown. Not publicly anyway, even if there were a few tears.
He said: “I’m so happy that I can race against the best in the world and still come joint-second.
“In my heart I have won, these are happy tears.
“I gave my absolute best every single day and I cannot be upset about that. I gave it my absolute all.
“I executed it as well as I could. It’s not about the end goal, it’s about the process.
“It doesn’t matter what time it says on the scoreboard, I think in my heart I have already won.”
Indeed, just getting into a position where he could try to retain that title was a testament to Peaty’s powers.
As he stood on the podium, receiving his silver medal from the Princess Royal, he bowed and smiled, aware that son George was there to see him.
He gave him a hug of true love soon afterwards, living up to the promise that it would be a victory in itself.
And there was a look of contentment, rather than frustration, as he waited for Martinenghi to ascend to the top platform.
Whether that lasts is open to question. Peaty has always been about winning above all else and the biggest test of all will be how he can handle defeat on the biggest stage.
Paris 2024 is not over for him. He will be a key member of both the 4x100m medley relay and mixed medley relay teams, with the chance to add more medals over the coming days.
Peaty admitted: “I’m almost an older man here now. I can’t have that relentless pursuit every single day without a sacrifice of some sort.
“That sacrifice could come in many ways, in time, in energy, in relationships.
“As an older man now it is difficult to keep up with the younger one.
“But I am so happy with that because I know in my heart I could have done more.
“My mind is on the relays, trying to get the best for the team now, seeing how we come through this.
“This is what the Olympics are about, they are about who can perform at that moment and I was just one per cent, two per cent out.
“That was a victory for me. It’s still six Olympic medals, right?
“I am a religious man and I asked God to show my heart and this is my heart.”
At the time of their split, Peaty said: “Eiri and George, I’m sorry for letting you down. My only interest is for the well-being of our family at this difficult time.”
Eiri opened up about their split earlier this year and revealed she had moved on after breaking up with the star who has battled depression and alcoholism.
She told the Mail: “I’ve chosen to forgive and move forward – anything other than that does not serve the wellbeing of myself, my son and our family.
“We continue to love, care and pray for Adam and are wishing him a full recovery.”
Peaty said he had suffered three years of hell and revealed he had considered not getting back into the pool.
He and current partner, Holly, confirmed they were dating last June.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY...
The Paris 2024 Olympics is now well underway with medals being ticked off and huge events still to come.
SunSport brings you all the action taking place in the French capital on a what is expected to be a huge third day.
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Alex Yee is desperate to go one better than his Tokyo triathlon silver medal now the Seine has the green light (7am).
The Team GB 4x200m men’s freestyle swimming squad are packed with talent and could be in for gold (8.59pm).
And the women’s gymnastics team could also get a podium finish but it’s a strong field including Simone Biles’ USA (5.15pm).
BRITS TO WATCH
Kieran Reilly and Charlotte Worthington get underway in the freestyle BMX qualifiers (12.25pm).
Joe Clarke and Mallory Franklin are both in canoe slalom action, while the men’s hockey side face top-dogs the Netherlands.
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
Clarisse Agbegnenou carried the flag for France at the opening ceremony.
She can back that up with a third Olympic judo gold in the -63kg final (4.49pm).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
It is the final day of the rugby sevens for this Olympics, ending with the final at the 70,000-seater Stade de France at 6.45pm.
And the street-style 3×3 basketball gets underway at the spectacular La Concorde venue at the bottom of the Champs-Elysees in the heart of the city.
Click here for all the events taking place at Paris 2024 today.
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
