Cate Campbell Announces Retirement After Over 20 Years in Swimming
Australian swimmer Cate Campbell, 32, has announced her retirement from the sport after an illustrious career spanning over 20 years.
Campbell, a triple Olympic medalist, failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and had previously aimed to compete in a record-breaking fifth Olympic Games. However, her pursuit of this goal ultimately proved unsuccessful.
Campbell reflected on her decision, stating, “After more than 20 years, more than 35,000 km, more than 19,000,000 strokes, four Olympic Games, eight Olympic medals, seven world records, and countless memories, it is time to officially say goodbye to the dream I have had since I was nine years old.”
The Australian flag bearer in Tokyo also expressed pride in her accomplishments, stating, “I gave everything I had in pursuit of a fifth Olympic Games, and so, even in failure, there is a small, indelible core of pride.”
Throughout her career, Campbell has collected 37 international medals, including 23 gold medals. At the age of 17, she first appeared on the podium, claiming bronze in the 50 freestyle and the 4×100 freestyle events at the Beijing Games.
Campbell is the current world record holder in the 100-meter freestyle in the short course (50.25, set in October 2017), a record she also held in the long course until 2016. She swam in 52.06 seconds in July 2016, but Sarah Sjoström surpassed this mark in July 2017 with a time of 51.71 seconds.
At the Brisbane Trials, Campbell’s teammates surprised her by jumping into the pool to give her a warm farewell, stating, “This is the end, and it’s a perfect way to get out of the pool,” Campbell said, overcome with emotion at the time.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Campbell’s sister Bronte, also a talented swimmer, reflected on their journey, writing, “When we were 7 and 9, we would sit in the back of the car and plan what we would do if we ever went to the Olympics together. Little did we know we would attend three Olympic Games, two Commonwealth Games, and three World Championships together. Sometimes reality is even better than you imagined.”
With her remarkable career coming to a close, Campbell is set to cheer on her fellow Australian swimmers at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking the end of an illustrious chapter in her storied athletic career.
