Team GB star Adam Peaty's tattoos explained including letter 'H' inked on chest (2024)

It's hard to miss Peaty's abundance of tattoos, with the Team GB swimming star covered in ink. But do they have any special meanings, or are they just colourful pieces of art?

Adam Peaty has a number of tattoos adorned across his body, each with a special meaning to the Olympic gold medallist.

Tattoos have became an increasingly popular choice for sport stars and athletes over the years, with many opting to get permanent markings to remember significant highlights from throughout their careers. For example, Anthony Joshua has the Team GB Lion tatted between his shoulder blades in tribute to his gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, while countless other Olympians have the famous rings etched onto their bodies.

And 2016 and 2020 100m breaststroke gold winner Peaty is no different, with a number of tattoos relating to his career in the pool. And they'll all be on show as the 29-year-old seeks Olympic glory at the Paris Games this summer. But what are Peaty's tattoos, what exactly do they mean? Here, The Mirror breaks it down.

Lion (left shoulder)

Peaty has a huge lion on his left shoulder, in recognition of his first Olympic gold medal achieved at the Rio Games of 2016. The black and grey portrait is one of Peaty's larger tattoos, and has roman numerals XXVI sitting under it - which translates to 2016, when he won the medal and set a world-record 100m breaststroke time of 57.13 seconds.

Olympic rings (left bicep)

In another tribute to the Olympics, Peaty has the Olympic rings tattooed on the inside of his left bicep, as well as the word 'equilibrium' underneath it. It has been claimed that the striking script nods to maintaining balance in all walks of life to feed a mindset towards success on the highest level.

Poseidon (left arm)

While Peaty has a number of Greek Gods tattooed on his body, the one that has the most prevalence to his Olympic sport is that of Poseidon. The god of the sea in Greek mythology, Poseidon represents the swimmer's connection with the waters he has found success in throughout his career. The words "Courage, Integrity, and Belief" are also incorporated in the piece.

Athena and Achilles (left arm)

Elsewhere on his left arm, Peaty has a mural of both Athena and Achilles from Greek mythology. Athena is said to represent wisdom, skills, and warfare, while Achilles signifies the ultimate warrior who seeks glory through his soldier mindset.

Warrior (right shoulder)

Peaty has a depiction of a Spartan warrior on his right shoulder carrying a shield, as well as Latin script.

Conquer your demons sword (right arm)

The Olympic gold medallist also has a sword further down his right arm - which is adorned with the phrase "Conquer your demons". Peaty has opened up about his struggles with mental health in the past, citing how attending church and his relationship with girlfriend Holly Ramsay played a part in his recovery.

Religious marks (torso)

In the centre of Peaty's torso is the outline of a cross, with script reading "into the light" below. It is most likely a nod to the Olympian's faith in Christianity following a spiritual awakening - but could also act as a double-entendre on success, with fortune sometimes being referred to as 'the light'.

'H' (chest)

Peaty also has a subtle "H" tattooed in the centre of his chest in tribute of girlfriend Holly Ramsay - the daughter of TV chef Gordon Ramsay. The couple met after Peaty's appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, where he competed alongside Holly's sister, Tilly Ramsay. Holly also has a "A" tattooed behind her ear in tribute to hear beau of around one year.

Fuel and Ride (fingers)

Finally, Peaty has the words "Fuel" and "Ride" tattooed across his fingers as a reported constant reminder to his fourth-placed 100m breaststroke finish at the 2022 Commonwealth games.

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