Bury-born swimmer James Guy has proven to be the star of Team GB’s Olympic efforts so far – he secured gold medals in the men’s 4 × 200 meter freestyle and the 4 × 100 meter mixed medley relay.
James, who was born in Bury and attended school in Timperley, could add a third medal to his name if he competes in the men’s 4x100m medley on Sunday morning.
But despite the Olympic fame, James’ father Andrew says he already has a different prize in mind by the time he lands at Heathrow Airport on Monday night.
Read more: From training at Converse on a Stockport estate to Tokyo, this is the story of an inspiring Olympian
“The first thing he does when we pick him up is, ‘Dad, I need a curry,'” Andrew told PA.
“He always only has one curry – Chicken Korma. And it’s not even really curry, is it? That’s all he’s ever got. Crazy. Rice and two chapatis, that’s it.
“He loves to play golf, he loves to fish. He likes good food, he likes Chinese, he’ll put on a little bit, but guess what? He is entitled to that. “
James’ father says he has “snoozed” for the past few days to see his son in action early in the morning.
He watched the success of the mixed layered relay on Saturday with James’ mother Cath and her youngest son Luke and Luke’s friend Emily.
Kathleen Dawson, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Anna Hopkin from Team GB with their gold medals for the mixed 4 x 100 m medley relay on July 31st
(Image: Joe Giddens / PA Wire)
“I’m losing my voice,” said Andrew.
“It’s an incredible feeling. I’m devastated, like the whole family, they all went back to bed.
“How often does it happen that your son is a double Olympic champion and world record holder?”
James’ family was born in Bury and they say his Olympic success was testament to the sacrifices he had to make to succeed, but his first forays into the pool weren’t always as promising.
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“I remember going swimming with him (swimming with him) and he never listened,” Andrew recalled.
“I remember Teacher saying to him, ‘You will never be a swimmer’. He was about five. He didn’t listen, he just kept ducking under the water. “
Under the wing of trainer Mike Roberts at the Trafford Swimming Club in Sale, Guy got stronger and stronger.
James Guy at the final of the mixed 4 x 100 m medley relay at Tokyo Aquatics Center on July 31, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan
(Image: Clive Rose / Getty Images)
The family moved from Altrincham to Somerset when Guy received a scholarship to Millfield School.
However, Andrew, who now lives near Crewe in Cheshire, announced it was far from smooth.
He said, “After a couple of years he struggled and he said, ‘Dad, I’ll wrap it up. Everyone beat me ‘. And they were.
“It was just because he hadn’t grown. So he was in mild pain for two to three years that only made him cry.
“We supported him as a family, and then at 14 or 15 he started growing, and at 16 he was the fastest in the world for his age.
“At 19 he became world champion and drove with his heroes – (Michael) Phelps, (Ryan) Lochte, (Conor) Dwyer – these people he had pictures of on the wall raced them and beat them.”
Swimmer James was born in Bury and raised in Trafford
(Image: Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
Andrew said two silver medals at the 2016 Rio Games showed him the importance of mental strength and how athletes improve their game for the “special occasion” of the Olympics, he has now reached the top step of the podium.
When asked to summarize his son, Andrew said, “He’s the boy next door, normal. If you sat with him he would never tell you that he is a swimmer, he would never tell you what he won.
“He’s pretty sensitive, not too confident, but if you hired him, he’d give 100 percent every day.”
James’s sensitive side came to the fore as he shed tears after winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle, and his father said, “That scream was the anticipation of winning the top medal in his career.
“He’s a four-time world champion and has won Commonwealth and European medals, what he wanted was gold, more than anyone.
“James let the emotions out and saw how sensitive he was. He stands on the blocks and becomes a warrior again. “
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