Sheffield granny's pride at Olympic swimming star grandson

While swimmer Adam Peaty is hot favourite to win gold in the 100m breaststroke at the Rio Olympics, his nan Mavis Williams from Slheffield has made waves of her own after taking to Twitter to speak of her pride at his achievements.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Aug 2016, 16:05 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 17:45 BST
Great Britain's Adam Peaty following the Men's 100m Breastroke setting a new world record in the process on the first day of the Rio Olympics Games, BrazilGreat Britain's Adam Peaty following the Men's 100m Breastroke setting a new world record in the process on the first day of the Rio Olympics Games, Brazil
Great Britain's Adam Peaty following the Men's 100m Breastroke setting a new world record in the process on the first day of the Rio Olympics Games, Brazil

Ms Williams, from Sheffield, has labelled herself the #OlympicNan, tweeting her congratulations to her swimming sensation grandson and his GB team mates.

Her Twitter biography reads, “Proud Nan to a World Champion Breaststroker”, a moniker she may have to change if Peaty becomes Olympic champion in the early hours of Monday.

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Ms Williams will be up watching the 21-year-old as he goes for glory, and following his world record in the heats said she was “really, really proud, so I could burst”.

She said: “I am watching at home. Last night I was on my own and I still screamed for him but my neighbour didn’t mind.

“Since I have been going to watch Adam it’s given me a new life, a different life, that I never dreamt that I would have and I have loved every minute of it. I can’t wait for tonight.

“I am really nervous but really excited too, not just for me but Adam - he has got a lot of pressure.

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“He has achieved so much these last few years. It is a tremendous achievement, what he has got, and all the family are very proud of him. But it’s nerve-wracking for me.”

Ms Williams said Peaty knows how proud she is of him because she posts about it on Twitter.

Following his semi-final success, she tweeted: “What race oooo I’m so proud he’s a gladiator well done.”

Ms Williams said she wished she was in Rio to see him in action, but that hearing from her daughter Caroline and her husband Mark out there “brought a lump to my throat”.

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And the proud nan will not be on her own when she watches her grandson go for gold tonight, saying: “I have got two people coming to me, so hopefully it will be a nice night.”

Peaty’s mum, Caroline said her son had never complained about getting up early to train as a boy, and that he was always the one getting her out of bed to drive him to swimming.

She said: “I have not really thought of him as a great swimmer, because he is my son. For him to reach his goals that he has reached, that gives me more satisfaction and more happiness to see him achieve his goals that he has set himself.

“I am really proud of his achievements and I love him to bits, but he’s my still my son, he’s my Adam.

“He is a great swimmer to a lot of people and he has got talent. The way he’s worked, the commitment, that is really something to be proud of.”

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