Shortly after Adam Ramsay-Peaty had battled desperately to snatch another bronze medal at these Commonwealth Games, it was put to him that he was no longer a winning machine.
Once upon a time, Britain’s greatest swimmer might have bristled. Instead he nodded – before pointing out that, at 31, he was now winning in an altogether different way.
“That period of time where I was undefeated for eight years, whatever it was, it was athlete first, then human,” Ramsay-Peaty said. “Now it’s human first, then athlete, which is a very fair price to pay.”
He was then asked whether he could get his superpower back. “My superpower looks very different now. I think juggling babies with milk and having a toddler around is, I guess, a different superpower when that time comes. But as a professional athlete, I’m still committed. I’ve still got that mentality. We just had to approach it very differently because I’ve been that person who wins all the time, and it costs you pretty much everything, and I won’t say it’s worth it now.”
Ramsay-Peaty was smiling as he spoke. And he was also smiling after a 50-metre breaststroke final in which he needed a dramatic finish to even get on the podium. He also won bronze in the 100m breaststroke at the weekend.
Normally Ramsay-Peaty’s best part of his race is the first 30m. At his best, he has already established clear blue water by then. Not this time. He was fighting the water, and his opponents, and it needed a late surge to take him into bronze in 26.94sec – just 0.01 clear of Chris Smith of South Africa. That time was 0.99sec off Ramsay‑Peaty’s world record – and well behind Australia’s Sam Williamson who took gold in 26.50, adding to his 100m breaststroke triumph, with South African Michael Houlie winning silver in 26.77.
But while Ramsay-Peaty may be more zen these days, he admits that he is still frustrated with his recent performances. “We weren’t good enough, and we have to look at why because the data in training, the data this whole season, has been tracking on an upward trend, and I can’t really put my finger on it where I’ve just lost that power per stroke,” he said.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s very frustrating. Something is not clicking. But it is my first championship since Paris to get two bronzes. You know, we’ve still got relays to go. I’d say that’s success. I’m not going to be too hard on myself, not any more. Let’s keep it in perspective.”
That refreshing attitude came to mind as Scotland’s Archie Goodburn received the biggest roar of the night in the same race despite finishing tied last. And no wonder, given the 25‑year‑old was competing here having been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer two years ago.
“The reception was monumental,” said Goodburn, who was strikingly positive afterwards. “I tried to prepare myself for it. But that was the next level.”
Doctors have diagnosed oligodendrogliomas, which accounts for roughly 3% of all primary brain tumours, and means he may have only a decade to live. But Goodburn has made it his mission to raise as much awareness as possible about the condition.
“Every athlete talks about tough times, but there’s been some really tough times,” he said. “And the shoes I was in, or the position I was in this time last year, it was a dark spot.
“So looking back on where I am now 12 months later, and everything we’ve managed to achieve over the year, thanks to the support of my friends, family and the University of Edinburgh. I can’t say a big enough thank you. And long may that continue.”
Last year, Goodburn started using Vorasidenib – a breakthrough new treatment designed to slow the spread of cancer. That has delayed the prospect of chemotherapy. But there are plenty of tough times ahead.
When asked how he remained positive, he was powerful and direct. “I advocate because I believe that my own advocacy can make a difference to my own life. And the best way I can do that is to be positive about the situation and positive for change.
“But I also advocate for the future Archies. I swim for future Archies that want to succeed on an international level. But also young patients and people with brain cancer under the age of 40.
“Brain cancer is the biggest killer of all cancers for people under the age of 40 in the UK. And I do believe that our advocacy groups are making a difference to that. That we’ll hopefully see over the next few years.”
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