Aussie stars expose sad truth about Liz Cambage Olympics exit

Two of our highest-profile Olympians have shone a light on why the absence of Liz Cambage and other Aussie stars is sadder than we realised.

Liz Cambage is missing out.

So too is Ben Simmons. And Nick Kyrgios for that matter.

Simmons pulled out of the Olympics to focus on his skill development in the NBA off-season while the notion of playing in front of empty stands prompted Kyrgios to hit the eject button.

Citing mental health issues, living in a bubble was never going to work for Cambage. She said having “no friends” around, coupled with rising levels of anxiety, left her with no option but to say goodbye to her Opals teammates.

The full extent of just how sad Cambage’s admission is – of having “no friends” in Tokyo – was highlighted by Australia’s opening ceremony flag bearers Patty Mills and Cate Campbell.

The pair were hugely impressive as they fronted reporters in Tokyo on Thursday, speaking with humility and gratitude about having the chance to unite with fellow athletes in a Covid-19 world where nothing can be taken for granted.

Both are now four-time Olympians but even in the early days of this year’s Games, they’ve sensed something special about Tokyo that has arisen from circumstance – with athletes’ movements limited because of the coronavirus – and a heightened sense of togetherness among the residents at Australian headquarters.

“It’s going to be hard to describe what it feels like to be around the village and see everyone and be around everyone again, that Olympic spirit that everyone obviously talks about,” basketball star Mills said.

“For the majority of us (in the Boomers) we all live away from home, away from Australia, so the set-up of the Australian headquarters and the Olympic Village is our home and that is a connection to our home. That’s a really good feeling to have that sense again, to be around Australian things again.

“It was good to sit last night amongst the greater Australian team and other sports, watching the Matildas come up with a good win. It’s what it’s all about, soaking it in, finding that time to appreciate where we are without losing the mindset of the reason of why we’re here and that’s to achieve a gold medal.

“Just coming down this morning and grabbing a coffee and seeing how many Australian athletes started the day with each other, and the mixture of sports outside and having those morning conversations – it was really cool to see the camaraderie the greater team is having. I think that will pay big dividends in the long run in individual and team sports, it really adds to that Aussie spirit that we enjoy.

“It creates this environment where athletes can interact with each other on a deeper level than probably what they normally would … it does create this electricity in the air of support for one another, camaraderie and the pride of what it means to represent your country.”

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Patty Mills and Cate Campbell will be Australia’s flag bearers for Friday’s Opening Ceremony.

Swimming superstar Campbell sang a similar tune.

“What I’ve really noticed around HQ, there’s an element of real gratitude,” she said. “It is always a privilege to represent your country at an Olympic Games but there is this extra special sentiment in the air at the moment because everyone realises what an absolute privilege it is to be competing at an Olympic Games in an environment like this.

“Part of our value set is we value people first and performance second, and giving people the freedom to be themselves, to go out there and do their absolute best without judgment from the team, knowing they have a safe space to come back to, has really allowed people to flourish and perform at their best.”

It was clear throughout the pair’s press conference the strange circumstances caused by coronavirus will actually facilitate members of the Australian team developing stronger relationships than they otherwise would have, had they been allowed to roam free. Confined to the Village when not training or competing because of the pandemic, our athletes are bonding through a shared experience they may never see again.

Listening to the sincerity with which Mills and Campbell spoke for 40 minutes, highlighting how close the entire Australian team has become, you couldn’t help but wonder what those athletes who pulled out were missing.

Liz Cambage pulled out of the Olympics last week, citing mental health concerns.

READ MORE: Aussie swimmer’s shock Tokyo withdrawal

That part of Cambage’s reasoning for withdrawing was a lack of support from friends seems even sadder in the wake of Mills’ and Campbell’s comments. The way they described it, the Aussie team was more family than friends. If you can’t find support in that environment, where can you?

Simmons and Kyrgios are both yet to compete at an Olympics. Would the void in Kyrgios’ life caused by empty stands have been filled by interactions with other Aussie athletes in the Village? The tennis star has excelled in team environments in the past – think Davis Cup, ATP Cup and Laver Cup – so the situation in Tokyo may have brought out his best.

Simmons’ relationship with the Boomers is a complicated one and people are questioning whether we’ll ever see the former No. 1 NBA Draft pick wear green and gold at an Olympics. After he officially pulled the pin on Tokyo, plenty of pundits criticised the 25-year-old and said he would have benefited from spending time around the national team, rather than choosing to go it alone in the States to work on his shooting.

You can understand why Cambage and Co. sat out, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be sad for them too. Just what they’re about to miss out on, we’ll know in a couple of weeks.