Tokyo Olympics: Woman guiding Cate Campbell out of the pool

Jenny Campbell knows what it takes to raise an Olympic champion and it’s not all about early morning wake up calls and massive supermarket food bills.

Jenny Campbell is immensely proud of her superstar daughter Cate but she’s not necessarily her biggest fan.

The mother of swim stars Cate and Bronte said her role has alway been to support her athletic daughters and to ensure they were enjoying what they did, not living out someone’s else dream.

“I’m their mother, not a fan,” said Campbell who has some sage advice for other parents with young stars.

“It’s such a long journey. As young children it’s important for them to know who they are is more important that what they do.

Cate Campbell after winning the women's 50m Freestyle final at recent trials.

“I wanted them to swim well not because it was what I wanted, it was what they wanted.

“I wanted to give them self worth regardless of what happened in the pool.”

Born in Malawi, the Campbell’s moved to Australia in 2001 with Cate, who was based at Pymble on Sydney’s north shore for much of her Tokyo lead-up, took up competitive swimming soon after.

Campbell, speaking as part of the global #SparkConfidence movement involving her Allianz ambassador daughter Cate, and husband Eric “made provisions” to support their daughters dreams “if they wanted to swim or if there was a time they said they didn’t want to do it anymore.”

“It was about balance and letting them follow their own dream,” Campbell said.

An emotional Cate Campbell hugs her sister Bronte after qualifying in the 100m free at the Australian Olympic swimming trials.

Campbell, a former synchronised swimmer, said Cate was always a water baby but realised she had an extra special ability in the pool around 14

Two years later Cate won a pair of bronze medals and her first Olympic Games in Beijing.

It was the start of an extraordinary swimming career which sees Cate head into her fourth Olympic Games in Tokyo with five medals to her name, including two gold.

“Cate was 13 when she won a national age title and broke a record,” Campbell said.

“I think the statistics are 10 per cent of age champions go on to represent Australia.

“It is really hard to know what their trajectory was going to be but at 13 to 15 she improved a lot and then made the Olympics.”

Cate Campbell is one of Australua;s gold mdal hopes in the pool in Tokyo.

While she and all other families have been banned from spectating in Tokyo, Campbell said she is still looking forward to the event which starts next month.

“I hope the Games are successful and it gives people hope,’’ she said.

The #SparkConfidence movement is to motivate people around the world to acknowledge the people in their lives who have always been behind them.

Cate said her mother has helped her feel a sense of confidence throughout her career and during the postponement of the Games due to coronavirus.

“My mum is always there for me. It is her support, whether it be big or small, that has reassured me that I don’t need to go it alone,” Cate said.

“Preparing for an Olympics is all-consuming but knowing that Mum is behind me, gives me motivation and greater confidence when competing in such a momentous event.”