Adam Peaty last night resurfaced as a champion - then apologised for being a “mardy b**tard.”
A day after being accused by former swimmer Mark Foster of’ disrespecting’ the Commonwealth Games by saying he was “not bothered” about them, Peaty showed exactly how much he really cared.
He won the 50 metres breaststroke - the only medal missing from his collection - then said sorry to any fans he might have upset.
“I hold myself accountable for that,” he said. “But you know, people don't understand the lowest of lows. Mark hasn't done it in a very long time.
“As an athlete at that moment, I was at the lowest. I had nothing else to say, nothing else to do, I was like ‘I’m retiring here’. And that was my kind of scapegoat.
“I can be a mardy b**tard! It does mean a lot to me. You can see that. But I want to say sorry to everyone who has worked hard to get to these Games.”
Peaty’s performance left runner-up Sam Williamson in awe, with the Aussie saying: “Peaty broke his foot 10 weeks ago - I don’t think anyone else would even have been able to compete here. He’s without a doubt the best breaststroker the world has ever seen.”
It was a compliment hard-earned and required the Uttoxeter star to reach deep into his soul in the hours after his cloak of invincibility was torn off on Sunday.
“Yesterday was about going through the rounds,” he said. “Today was the emotion and rawness - that’s what you saw.
“I gave literally, absolutely everything in that race. I just reverted to who I am. My coach Mel (Marshall) said this morning: ‘today you wake up and you play’. I replied: ‘no, today I fight’. Because sometimes playing is not enough.”
He would celebrate his moment of victory with partner Eiri and son George but not before putting himself through the mill.
His reaction to defeat on Sunday had inspired Dame Laura Kenny to return to the top step of cycling’s podium on Monday.
Yesterday was his turn to take a leaf out of her book by giving himself the same stern talking to then going out and rolling back the years.
“I struggled because I’d had no race exposure, I didn’t know what I was doing. I just went down with my heart and soul,” he said. “It took until today to find that.
“My spirit was low, my physical side was low, my mental side was low. But for some reason I woke up this morning and was like ‘you know what I’m a fighter, I’m going to do it’.
“It just shows you that even if the odds are against you, even if you’re against yourself, give yourself a chance to pick yourself up and go for it.
“I’m in a good spot now because I’ve got that hunger for the 100, I’ve also got that victory which will keep these fires burning through to Paris.”
