British swimmer Adam Peaty says he is planning to give the country something to celebrate ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Peaty, the current world record holder in both 50 metre and 100 metre breaststroke, will go into this summer’s Olympics as the reigning champion having won gold in the 100 metre breaststroke in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
The 26-year-old will be one of a host of gold medal hopefuls for the UK at this summer’s Games, which were delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And speaking as the newly announced ambassador of SIRO Hotels, he says this summer will represent a chance for him to give the country something to celebrate.
“Going into Tokyo, I think a lot of people are looking at me and thinking I must be under a lot of pressure”, he said.
“I get asked it in every interview, ‘for seven years you have been undefeated’, but I am not going to be thinking about that, I am going to be thinking ‘my country has been through hell, the world has been through hell’, let’s give someone out there a bit of inspiration to do better tomorrow.
“That is what sport is about, it is a huge entertainment industry, but also a way of inspiring a lot of people. I want to create something to celebrate, we have all been through this together and this opportunity will hopefully let me lift them.”
Peaty admits the lockdown has been tough on sport due to the closure of facilities athletes need to perform at the highest level.
His role as ambassador for hotel chain Kerzner’s pioneering new SIRO Hotels will see the swimmer play an advisory role as the brand develops the fitness and wellness elements at the heart of the new SIRO immersive destinations.
And Peaty says it has never been more important to give people access to innovative methods of fitness and wellbeing.
He continued, “It was hard when the government closed all the pools, as an athlete who relies on it two times a day, ten times a week, and gyms another five times a week! That took away all the training I could possibly do.
“It has been a very difficult time for a lot of people who rely on sport, rely on exercise, especially swimming, for their mental wellbeing. We have got millions of people who were part of club programmes, next generation Olympians, and we will see over the next few years the impact it has had, but hopefully we can support our local leisure centres and keep them going.
“I’ve announced a partnership with SIRO, based on health, wellbeing & fitness, which I think is so important as we become more aware of our own health, and how much we consume. There’s a lot more research and accessibility, with social platforms making it easier & more digestible for people to access workouts.
“I think it is easier for people to get fit and gain knowledge of what they should & shouldn’t be eating. If you create a hotel with a culture around the world, and you create a community that can share these experiences, I think it is a recipe for a really successful undertaking and hopefully a lot of people will begin to live and breathe that kind of lifestyle.”
Gold Medal Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty was launching the new SIRO hotel brand, the latest innovation from Kerzner International. SIRO, launching in Montenegro in 2023, will be a pioneering new immersive lifestyle destination, blending the boundaries between hospitality, fitness, and wellness through a fresh perspective and energizing experiences. www.sirohotels.com
