Olympic Games 2021: Cate Campbell denied role on IOC’s athlete’s commission

She delayed her return home after the Olympics in the hope of securing one of international sport’s most prestigious roles but Aussie swim queen Cate Campbell found no further joy in Tokyo.

Cate Campbell realises the Aussies have won gold. Picture: Getty Images

Australian swim queen Cate Campbell has missed out on selection to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.

Australia’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony, Campbell was one of 30 candidates vying for just four vacant spots on the 17-member committee.

The four athletes who were elected were Spanish basketballer Pau Gasol, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Polish cyclist Maja Martyna Włoszczowska and Japanese fencer Yuki Ota.

The IOC said 6825 athletes at the Tokyo Olympics cast votes in the election over the course of the Games.

Already a member of the Australian Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, Campbell was regarded as one of the frontrunners because she is well known for her strong views on athlete welfare.

The 29-year-old was also a star performer in the pool in Tokyo, winning two gold medals in the relays and a bronze in the individual 100m freestyle.

Campbell had extended her stay in Tokyo to try and secure a spot on commission.

Cate Campell was hoping to secure a spot on the IOC’s athlete’s commission. Picture: Alex Coppel

A voting box had been set up in the dining hall in the Olympic Village, along with information about each of the candidates.

The four elected athletes will replace members whose eight-year term is set to finish after these Olympics, including Australian rower James Tomkins.

At the time of Campbell’s nomination in 2019, AOC President John Coates AC supported her candidacy for the role.

“Cate has been an invaluable member of the AOC’s Athletes’ Commission for more than six years after being elected to that role by her peers” Mr Coates said.

“Cate brings the same drive, determination and passion that has seen her become one of the world’s best swimmers, with five Olympic medals across three Games, to her role as an athlete advocate.”

The vote is held at every Olympic Games, with four members elected at each Summer Games, and two at each Winter Games.

The role of the powerful commission is to inform the IOC of the athletes’ view of the world- for example the commission recently surveyed athletes on the right to protest at the Games- for causes like Black Lives Matter.

AUSTRALIA’S QUEEN OF POOL SET TO ABDICATE

By Julian Linden

Aussie swim queen Cate Campbell has given her strongest hint yet that she is considering retiring from swimming after her stunning performances at the Tokyo Olympics.

Already 29, and just one of three Australian swimmers who have won medals at four Olympic Games, Campbell had been planning to go through to the 2024 Paris Olympics but is reconsidering whether to go out on the ultimate high.

Not only was she given the honour of carrying the Australian flag at the Opening Ceremony, but all her performances in the pool ended like they were scripted for her.

Cate Campbell will be 32 by the time the next Olympics rolls around.

On the first day of finals, she teamed up with her sister, Bronte, for the last time in the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay that broke the world record to win the gold medal.

Then she won a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle final to collect her first individual medal in the event she mucked up in Rio when she was the red-hot favourite.

Then in what may be her final race, she unleashed one of the most awe-inspiring last lap sprints to snatch victory in the last stroke in the women’s medley relay to secure Australia’s record ninth gold medal in the pool.

Asked if she had already made up her mind to retire, Campbell said “no comment” before conceding that she wanted to take some more time to think about it.

“I have loved every minute in the pool and loved being a part of this team,” she said.

“I have been a part of this team for many, many years and seeing it grow and evolve into the absolutely unstoppable, incredible beast that it became this week has been one of the most privileged experiences of my life.

Campbell and the Aussie swimmers show off their medal swag.

“I just need to reflect and soak that all in and not make any major life decisions while I’m this full of emotions.”

Campbell now has eight Olympic medals - including four gold - and when she does hang up her goggles, she won’t have to wait long for a lucrative job on dry land.

A confident and engaging public speaker, she is already highly sought after in television and corporate business circles.

She is also in the running for the International Athletes’ Commission and is certain to be one of the faces of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics in her home city.

A CROWNING GLORY

Cate Campbell, you bloody beauty.

The Queen of Australian swimming – in possibly her last race at the Olympics – has done it again, but never as dramatically as this.

She anchored Australia to the gold medal in the women’s 4x100m medley final after one of the most heart-stopping races ever witnessed.

Second when they turned for home, the 29-year-old Australian flag-bearer dug deep when all seemed lost to get her fingernails on the wall first in an Olympic record time of 3:51.60, just ahead of the United States.

It gave Campbell her fourth Olympic gold medal of her career and even more records for her teammates.

■ OLYMPICS LIVE: Follow all the action from Tokyo here

The Aussie celebrations start. Picture: Adam Head.

Emma McKeon – who swam the butterfly leg – won her seventh medal in Tokyo and her fourth gold to become Australia’s greatest Olympian.

She is only the second woman in 125 years – in all sports – to win seven medals at a single Olympics.

She is the only Australian to win four gold medals at an Olympics.

Kaylee McKeown – who swam the backstroke leg – won her third gold medal in Tokyo after winning the individual backstroke double.

Breastroker Chelsea Hodges, the unsung hero, won her first gold.

Australia now has nine gold medals in swimming in Tokyo – breaking the record of eight set in 1956.

The team’s total of 20 matches the record from Beijing in 2008.

And Campbell has revealed how she feared her lightning quick changeover may have cost the Aussies gold.

“I sort of turned around and saw a number one next to our names and I thought, ‘Oh, my goodness, that’s incredible’. And I looked up and the girls were celebrating and I thought ‘my changeover was very quick, we’ve either just won an Olympic gold medal or we’ve just been disqualified’,” she said.

“So I was like we have to wait until the results are official. And they were official and we are Olympic gold medallists.

“It made the difference. I knew that I would have to be really pushing the envelope because I knew that we had such strong competition from over in the American camp. So I thought, well, we’ll go for broke here.”

Campbell said she was ‘so proud’ to have anchored the team.

“Where do you even start with that,” she said moments after her race.

“Full credit to all the incredible job that all the Australians have done this week. I am so proud to be a member of this team. It’s still sinking it. I cannot believe we went out and did that.”

Kaylee McKeown, Chelsea Hodges, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell celebrate.

When asked if she would be happy to finish her Olympic career on that swim, she said it would be a good way to go out.

“That’s pretty good,” Campbell said.

“It’s a little bit more special being able to get a win from behind over the Americans. I’ve been in some incredibly close battles with them over the year where they’ve got me. To do it on the world’s biggest stage is a dream come true.”

Hodges said she was elated with her breaststroke leg of the relay.

“I knew I had to literally swim out of my swim and gave it everything I’ve got,” Hodges said.

“That time showed that I did. These girls are amazing.”

She described Campbell as “one of the best relay swimmers” of all time.

“It’s great we have someone like her (Cate) to back it up, it’s great to know if you’ve swim well you’ve got someone behind you swimming even better.”

Leisel Jones told Channel 7: “The devastation on the USA’s face there. We’ve snatched back that gold medal, straight out of their hands.

“And on paper USA looked so strong. And probably almost a little bit better than us in some ways. But, for me, Chelsea Hodges was the standout there. Winning against Lydia Jacoby, who won the 100 breastroke, to hold on.

“Kaylee McKeown got us into a good position and then Chelsea Hodges to hold on it and get us into one of the first positions for Emma McKeon to enter the water with clear water.”

Jones said if Campbell retired after the race, it would be a fitting farewell.

“The send-off she deserves, she has had such a great career and, if that is her last event, what a way to do it.

“Olympic record, 351.60 and there’s so much pride in Australia in our relays to be a member of the relay. And to anchor a relay is such a big job and they’ve just done it in such style.”

The Aussie team embraces after the race.

WHAT THE SWIMMERS SAID:

CATE CAMPBELL:

“Oh my gosh. I still just can’t believe that we just did that. That is an incredible effort by everyone. I think that obviously I was a little bit disappointed with my 50 freestyle earlier, but I just kind of told myself that you find out what you’re made of in the times when things don’t go your way, not when things don’t go your way, not when things are working well for you. And I took that mindset into this race and I just thought, ‘You have to be brave and get back out there.’ And I am just absolutely blown away.”

“And I would just like to say full credit to Emma, she is not here, but I think that we just need to acknowledge what an incredible job she has done. She walks away from these Games with four gold medals now. And I honestly could not be happier for her. And, yeah, she is such an important part of this team and, yeah, I think that needs to be recognised.

“Before I walked out for my 50 final, just kind of had to stop myself and think … ‘What a privilege it’s been’.”

“You know, it’s been a long time and to walk out and be mixing it with the best in the world for so long, I really have to acknowledge that. And soak it all up. And know, while there are some empty seats up there, you look at the Australian section, that is full. And I know that the rest of the stadium is full with the Australian spirit that we can feel pouring in from at home. And I’m just making sure that every moment I’m soaking that all up.”

CHELSEA HODGES:

“I don’t really have words for it. I was pretty disappointed with how I went on Monday and I knew that these girls are amazing. I just knew I needed to pick it up and I think I did that today.”

KAYLEE MCKEOWN:

“Being in a team (is) so much better there is so much more hype around it and I’m with girls who are so decorate ed in the sport. I couldn’t be prouder of our team”