ADAM PEATY dropped a huge retirement hint after today’s men’s 4x100m medley relay final.
The Team GB legend, 29, was unable to medal as his team fell agonisingly short of a podium finish in fourth.
A three-time gold medallist in Rio and Tokyo, Peaty earned a silver medal in last Sunday’s 100m breaststroke in Paris – despite testing positive for Covid just hours later.
He returned to the pool on Saturday for his team’s men’s relay heat, but did not feature in the mixed final that evening.
Following today’s men’s relay final, Peaty was asked about the possibility of retirement by the BBC.
He replied: “I think tomorrow is never promised, so why worry?
“If my heart wants it, my heart wants it and I will absolutely sign that contract with myself to do it. But that may be a long way away.
“I think I have got to step away from the sport because it has just hurt too much this time, it really has.
“It could have been my last one [swim] here.
“Mel [Marshall, Peaty’s coach] has got an incredible future ahead of her in Australia and the right talent will head her way. I don’t know what the answer is.
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“If my family needs me, they need me.
“If they don’t and they want me to do it… you can’t lie to your heart and if the heart doesn’t want it, the heart doesn’t want it.
“But I’m going to enjoy today instead of worrying about tomorrow.”
Peaty is dating Gordon Ramsay‘s daughter Holly.
He has a three-year-old son, named George, from his previous relationship with Eirianedd Munro.
After returning to the pool yesterday, Peaty detailed his physical struggles this week.
He said: “It’s probably the worst week of my life in terms of how my body is, and that’s no exaggeration.
“Everything’s come at once. Since Covid, it’s just every day waking up with a different thing.
“The medical team’s been brilliant. I think it’s just a victory getting on that start block there.
“Hopefully, that’ll give my body a nice little push for tomorrow.”
