Adam Peaty to take sporting break to look after his mental health

Adam Peaty is planning to take an entire month out of the swimming pool following Olympic successes in Tokyo to protect mental health.

Peaty and the rest of the British Swimming team will return to home turf on Monday as they arrive back in the UK.

Recently Simone Biles and Ben Stokes have also stressed the need for a break.

In an article released this morning, the swimmer expects now to miss the International Swimming League (ISL), which starts in September, in favour of a mental and physical break.

That's all ahead of World and European Championships, as well as the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The news comes as Adam Peaty has said he is concerned by the response he's received by his recent decision

The news follows Adam Peaty becoming the first British swimmer to defend his Olympic title, after claiming gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

With a characteristically dominant display in the final of the men’s 100 metres breaststroke at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Peaty secured Britain's first gold of the games and put himself firmly in the history books.

While he was unable to break his own world record of 56.88 seconds, the 26-year-old from Uttoxeter claimed victory in a time of 57.37secs, the fifth fastest time in the event’s history.

His supremacy remains unchallenged with closest challenger Arno Kamminga, the only swimmer other than Peaty to breach the 58-second barrier, finishing a distant 0.63s behind. Peaty’s coronation has seemed inevitable as not only is his personal best almost a second quicker than anyone else who has ever competed over the distance but he is unbeaten in major competitions in seven years.

'It's like trying to get a promotion and having to prove yourself in 57 seconds'

Writing on Twitter after claiming the win, Peaty said: "OLYMPIC CHAMPION! For my country, my son and my family.

"For those who stayed up through the night to watch me. For all those people who need a bit of light. You can get through this".

But Peaty, who swore twice while speaking to BBC Sport in an emotional poolside interview, admitted the past year, which has included becoming a first-time father, has had its upheavals.

He said: “It’s been a heavy investment. A lot has changed this last year, more than the last five.

"Becoming a father, buying my first house and some days when I woke up and was like ‘this is hard, this is really hard’.

“There’s been so many challenges, so many challenges and f****** some breakdowns as well. It’s like ‘what am I doing every single day? Why am I training three times a day, giving it everything for this swim?’," he added.

“I’ve hidden a lot of emotion from my own family, I’ve hidden a lot of stress and a lot of those moments where I was like ‘this is very, very hard'".

"I wish my family were here so they could experience this moment with me,' says Peaty

Speaking to ITV News, Peaty said: "I wish my family were here so they could experience this moment with me, but I guess we'll have to wait till 2024 now."

But his family made their emotions clear, with mum Caroline Peaty writing on Twitter: "So glad that’s over, blood pressure must be through the roof lol x Our house was so quiet, we couldn’t breath We are beyond proud".

Ms Peaty also told ITV News: "It's a bit surreal at the moment. It hasn't really sunk in. We know that he's won. But it took ages for the one in Rio to sink in really, what it means for him. We're really proud."

Caroline and Mark Peaty made sure they woke up in the early hours to watch their son compete at home.

Asked if she was nervous at the time, the mum said: "Well, that's not even the word. I was just so tense. I really was. Mark was really quiet which was very unusual for Mark, because usually he's shouting and waving and swimming the race with him."

Speaking about not being able to be there with Peaty, Ms Peaty said: "It is a shame but I think we were well prepared for it from last year. You just accept things as they are and just do the best that you can."

She added: "We would've loved to be there with him because if he had asked us, we would've been there, no problem. But it wasn't meant to be, was it?"