Two-time Olympic breaststroke champion Adam Peaty has said he has changed his relationship with winning after a difficult spell since the last Games in Tokyo.
Team GB star Peaty arrives in France seeking to become the first swimmer since Michael Phelps to win the same race at three consecutive Olympic Games, but his cycle for Paris 2024 has been tumultuous at times following battles with mental health and alcohol.
"My relationship with a gold medal now is I know that it won't solve any of the problems that I want it to," Peaty said at a Team GB prep camp in Reims.
"When you're younger, you're like: 'If I get a gold medal, it's gonna solve so many problems.' And it does, but it's not going to solve the problems that I seek [to resolve]. And obviously now I do it to win, I want to be the best. I am the best. I've still got the world record. And I'm going to have a good challenge come Paris. That's the only thing that gets me excited."
Peaty ranks as the best breaststroke swimmer of all-time having broken the 100m breaststroke world record five times. His existing world record (56.88s) set in 2019.
Since the Tokyo Games, Peaty has been open regarding his mental health that saw him take a break from swimming and consider retirement. However, entering Paris, he said he has a different mindset.
"When you have children, when you hug them, you realise that it is something greater than anything can ever provide," Peaty said.
"If I touch the wall, if it's not the result I want I'll be disappointed. But before, in comparison, in 2021, even 2022 and way before that, I'd be almost tearing myself apart that my life isn't worth living, because I lost. That isn't sustainable because that's not an attitude to have."
"I'm not defined as a human by that. Maybe an athlete and maybe other people will define me that way. But I'll still have my family; they're healthy, they're happy. The sun always rises the next morning no matter what. That's not defeatist, in any sense. That just gives me peace, so you can attack."
Paris represents a new challenge for Peaty compared to previous Games, with his dominance in the 100m breaststroke is no longer so assured, with Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang his main competitor. However, he set the fastest time of the year in the British trials.
Peaty begins his Paris Olympics in the 100m breaststroke heats on July 27, with the final set for the following day.