Australian ‘swimming queen’ Campbell retires
One of Australia’s most renowned swimmers has declared her retirement from the sport following her failure to qualify for this year’s Paris Olympics. Cate Campbell announced her decision to “officially bid farewell to the dream I’ve cherished since I was 9 years old” in a social media post on Wednesday, a week after stepping away from the Australian Olympic Trials in Brisbane.
Campbell, a veteran of four Olympics and a recipient of eight Olympic medals, including breaking seven world records, missed out on her fifth Games appearance after falling short in the 100m and 50m freestyle events. She is widely recognized as a prominent figure in Australian sports.
“While my emotions are mixed, especially as it didn’t culminate as I had hoped, I can still reflect without regrets,” she remarked. “I devoted everything to pursuing a fifth Olympics, so even in defeat, there remains a small, indelible sense of pride.”
The 32-year-old, who first gained prominence as a teenage swimmer at the Beijing Games, boasts an impressive tally of 37 major international medals, including 23 golds. Renowned for her exceptional relay abilities, Campbell’s accolades predominantly stem from team events, including three consecutive golds in the 4x100m freestyle relay, each achieved in world-record times.
She has also been praised as a role model and mentor for her peers, including her younger sister Bronte who she has swam alongside in numerous international competitions.
The pair have trained together since they were children, and both famously fought through viral fatigue after suffering from glandular fever to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
“When we were 7 and 9 years old, we sat in the back of the car planning on what we’d do if we ever went to an Olympic Games together,” the younger Campbell wrote in a tribute to her sister.
“Little did we imagine that we’d go to three Olympics, two Commonwealth Games and three World Championships together. Sometimes reality is even better than how it was imagined.”
When Campbell finished her final swim in front of a sold-out crowd in Brisbane last week, her teammates immediately entered her lane to embrace her in the water.
“This is the end, and it’s a perfect way to exit the pool,” she said through tears.
Tributes have continued to flood in from some of the nation’s most recognisable athletes and powerful sporting bodies.
“Cate has really set up this for a lot of us women,” the reigning freestyle world champion Mollie O’Callaghan said.
“She set the standards, and she’s one of the most inspirational women, in and out of the water.”
