Cate Campbell competed as part of the Australian swimming team at four consecutive Olympics and has a haul of eight medals (four of them gold) to show for it. But this time around, she’s at the Paris Games fulfilling a very different role.  

On this episode of Something To Talk About, Cate joins host Sarrah Le Marquand poolside from Paris to talk about the bittersweet experience of shifting from athlete to commentator, and how her experience as an Olympic athlete gives her a unique appreciation for the hard work on display.

Cate lays out why she believes the gender parity on display at the 2024 Games will inspire a new generation of athletes – both men and women – and shares her very personal and unique perspective on that race between Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus.

She opens up about the bittersweet feelings she has about missing out on the competition this year, the inspiration she draws from Australia’s female athletes – who are currently leading the country’s medal tally – and her realisation that watching from the sidelines is a tough gig: “This spectating business is hard.”

Cate also discusses her plans for the future post-retirement, and why they’re likely to involve the 2032 Olympics in her home state of Queensland. 

Cate Campbell is part of the Nine Network’s Olympic commentary team. You can find more from Cate Campbell at @cate_campbell.

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