Olympic gold medallist Cate Campbell has officially retired from swimming, posting to Instagram a heart-warming reflection on her career.
Campbell missed qualification for Paris 2024 in the 100m and 50m freestyle trial finals at Brisbane in June, effectively bringing an end to her time in the pool as an elite athlete.
The 32-year-old made the decision official on social media on Wednesday, in a career that’s included four Olympics, eight Olympic medals and seven world records.
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Cate Campbell after her final race at the Olympics trials. Chris Hyde/Getty Images
“I have had some time over the past week to reflect on my career, and while there are many conflicting emotions, especially because it did not end exactly how I had hoped, I am still able to look back without regret,” she wrote.
“I gave the pursuit of a 5th Olympics everything I had, and therefore, even in failure, there is a small, indelible kernel of pride.
“One of the biggest myths is that swimming is an individual sport. While it was only me under the bright lights behind the starting blocks, there was a small army of people who got me to that place. So, I would like to thank my extended team over the years.
“My family, my friends, my partner, my competitors, my Australian Dolphins teammates, my management team, my physios, my coaches, Swimming Australia, the Queensland Academy of Sport, the Australian Olympic Committee, the New South Wales Institute of Sport, my sponsors, the swimming officials and referees, the basket kids, the events teams and every single swimming fan who has supported me over the years.
“It’s been a long and wild ride and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I can’t wait to cheer on the Australian Dolphins and the rest of the Australian Olympic Team in Paris. I am entering my cheerleading era.”