An England-based Nigerian-born lady, Eirianedd (Eiri) Munro has disclosed that she is excitedly expecting a baby for British Olympic Games’ swimming champion, Adam Peaty, who says he is glad that it would be another opportunity for him to show his distaste for racism, megasportsarena.com reports.
While Munro is ready to divulge all details about her relationship and the expected birth of her first child in September, Peaty added an expansive angle to his thoughts about fatherhood, as he wants to use the birth of his baby to further highlight ways of ending diversity in swimming, put less emphasis on racial differences and enthuse on his new supporter towards the Olympics.
The 25-year-old Peaty, who met 22-year-old Eiri Munro in November last year, added that they were able to bond quickly because they both downplay any role race plays in relationships, and they kept getting closer together, despite the swimmer’s busy schedule, which saw him head to Australia early in the year.
He went on to enthuse that becoming a father nine months before the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games is something he is already relishing because, though he admits there will be challenges of him now being a father, he will have a new member of the family to boost his efforts and hopes.
He added that his mindset and focus goes beyond his prowess in the pool, as the swimming ace with nine world records, multiple titles at the Olympics, World Championships, European level and Commonwealth Games, as well as a six-year unbeaten run in the 100m breaststroke, says his pursuit for perfection is just as vibrant as his search for racial equality.
At present, marathon swimmer, Alice Dearing is the only black swimmer in Britain’s elite sector and Peaty, whose son will have a Nigerian grandparent, believes the sport needs a change, even as he noted how USA’s Simone Manuel became the first black woman to win an Olympic gold in swimming, when she excelled at Rio 2016 in Brazil.
He believes her success was a pointer to how the racial divide is coming to an end in countries outside Britain, while followers of the sport worldwide also saw it as the breakthrough moment that could improve diversity in the sport; which Peaty says his coming baby will also represent.
Peaty told BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent: “My son will be mixed race. I want him to be judged on his achievements, not his skin colour. Everyone’s thinking it was an accident, but that’s not the case. It’s one of the most beautiful things you can do together and we’ve already sorted the (baby’s) nursery!
“I want to start to create that positive environment for people where no matter what race, what age or background they can be part of it. Swimming is a very white-based sport because culturally we don’t really reach out to those communities to get them involved.
“’I was in Australia when I found out I was going to be a father. I was phoning her every couple of days and then she said she wasn’t feeling well, so she took a pregnancy test and said she’d ring me back. I knew everything was going to change from there, but it’s been amazing.
“There’ll be sleepless nights, but I’ve grown up so much since Rio 2016 when I was really just a boy, and this is another maturity phase for me. I think [fatherhood] will make me stronger and it’ll be amazing to stand on those blocks at the Olympics.”
Munro took to social media to express her thoughts and she posted: “Both Adam and I entered 2020 knowing it had the potential to be the biggest and happiest year of our lives. Years of hard work was due to pay off with me, graduating from university and Adam, competing in his second Olympics. The year looked bright and golden. And then came the coronavirus.
“Whilst our goals weren’t taken, they were propelled somewhere into the future, leaving our year looking rather empty in comparison to how it had looked just a few months ago. Yet the year still promises to be the biggest and happiest year of our lives, just in ways neither of us had planned or expected. It also promises to be the hardest, messiest and craziest so far.
“It’ll be filled with tears and laughter and sleepless nights and dirty nappies. A lot of dirty nappies. In these moments of difficulty and sadness, we are grateful for our health, for each other and a little jelly bean that has kept us happy and hopeful despite everything.
“Due September 2020 ❤️ Adam and I have been overwhelmed with so much love and support already that there is simply no room left for any negativity. We hope this news brings you as much warmth and joy as it is has brought to us and our families.”
