The triple Olympic gold medallist, Adam Peaty, has withdrawn from the British Swimming Championships, citing mental health reasons.
The 28-year-old said he is “not enjoying the sport” and will not compete in next month’s championships in Sheffield.
Peaty believes his decision will help him prepare for next year’s Paris Olympics, where he will be hoping to defend the 100m breaststroke and 4x100m mixed medley gold medals he won at Tokyo 2020.
Peaty wrote on Instagram: “Everyone wants to sit in your seat until they have to sit in your seat … very few people understand what winning and success does to an individual’s mental health. They don’t understand the pressures these individuals put on themselves to win over and over again.
“As some people may know, I’ve struggled with my mental health over the last few years and I think it’s important to be honest about it. I’m tired, I’m not myself and I’m not enjoying the sport as I have done for the last decade.
“Some might recognise it as burnout; I just know that over the last few years I haven’t had the answers. With help, now I know how I can address the imbalance in my life.
“Whilst I am continuing to train, I have decided to withdraw from the British Swimming Championships next month. This is with the sole purpose of delivering the best performance possible in Paris at the 2024 Olympic Games … This sport has given me everything I am and I’m looking forward to finding the love I have for it again.”
Peaty suffered a setback in 2022 after breaking his foot in a freak training accident, but was able to recover in time and compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last summer.
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A mixed Games saw him finish fourth in the 100m breaststroke – his first defeat in the event in eight years – but he bounced back 48 hours later to win gold in the 50m.
