Today, sisters Cate, 24, and Bronte Campbell, 22, competed in the women’s 100m freestyle final.
Cate was the overwhelming favourite for gold after breaking the world record last month. Bronte, too, was expected to walk away with a medal.
The sisters, heavy with the weight of Australia on their shoulders, missed out on a place. Bronte came in fourth, with Cate finishing sixth.
The headlines since have read “Campbell sisters fail to win medals” and “Cate Campbell misses Olympic medal in stunning upset“, with descriptions of an “astonishing fadeout” in the final 50 meters.
Channel 7 posted an image of the results with the caption “ouch!”
But the Campbell sisters, regardless of where they placed, have made Australia so, so proud.
The dive they took into the 100 metre Rio Olympics final was more than a decade in the making. Behind the race, which lasted less than a minute, was a lifetime of hard work.
These are two women who, despite being fierce competitors, are, in their own words “best mates”. They are women who rejoice in each other’s victories and are gracious in defeat.
The Olympic athletes we admire. Post continues below.
Top Comments
Am I the only one who was disappointed they didn't medal? After all the build up in the media, even one commentator on the day of the race saying "it will be an absolute upset if Cate doesn't win. Expect her to win"? After the millions of taxpayers money that has gone into Australian swimming and what we are led to believe is an absolute shoo-in for medals? And Cate even admitted today that her great lead-up of Olympic Record swims in the heats got into her head for the final? Aren't professional swimmers meant to be trained in that type of mental preparation? Please don't spin this into something it isn't. They didn't swim as well as they should have and they lost.
Have they said anything about the two women that won the gold? I'm assuming they have but the media isn't focusing on it. But those two made history and I like their win better than the reaction from the sisters about their loss. I'd be more warm towards them if any of the coverage I'd seen had them being gracious to their fellow competitors in defeat. Even the American commentators gave the gold and silver to them before the race and their girl got gold, which is a great moment when you look at their history of pools in segregation.
I'm extremely proud of the commitment, drive and passion of all our Olympic athletes. These girls should only feel proud of their achievements and nothing less. Awesome role models for young girls too.