Olympian swimmer Adam Peaty's mother, Caroline, was notably absent from the crowd at the Tollcross International swimming centre in Glasgow on Friday night, a departure from her consistent presence at her son's competitions.
This marks the first time Caroline has not watched Adam compete in person, reportedly due to a significant family rift. Instead, she watched from her home in Staffordshire, 264 miles away, as her son, now competing officially as ‘Ramsay-Peaty’ and wearing a cap bearing the married surname, raced in the 100m breaststroke semi-final. His pregnant wife, Holly Ramsay, daughter of TV chef Gordon Ramsay, was present and shared a photograph of Adam wearing the cap on Instagram with the caption ‘So Special.’
Sources close to the Peaty family indicate that this post and the decision for Adam to compete under the Ramsay-Peaty name have caused anguish and anger for Caroline and Adam's father, Mark. Friends describe the situation as 'galling' and question the choice of surname order.
The rift reportedly intensified last year leading up to Adam and Holly's wedding. Caroline Peaty was not invited to Holly's hen do, while Adam's father and mother were absent from the wedding ceremony. The dispute has also led to Adam no longer being on speaking terms with his brothers, James and Richard. Adam's sister, Bethany, attended the wedding but has also reportedly fallen out with Holly.
Caroline Peaty previously described the rift to the Daily Mail as causing hurt so deep it felt like 'they have cut my heart out.'
Adam, who won three Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship gold medals, met Holly while competing on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. They married in December. Holly Ramsay is expecting the couple's first child, and it is unclear if Caroline Peaty will have the opportunity to meet her granddaughter.