SwimSwam met Cate Campbell during the 2022 global sales meeting organized by arena in Sardinia, Italy.
The four-time Australian Olympic gold medalist told us that before she gets on the block to start a competition, she repeats the words “Be brave” to herself.
In the months leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, Cate Campbell struggled with depression.
On the point she tells us:
“I really felt like a failure at the moment. That little mantra that I told myself over and over, make me be ok with the fact that sometimes we are not ok, and that’s completely normal, that’s completely fine.
“We all have a power even in our lowest moment. We have choice, and we can choose to be brave.”
You can see the full video below:
In the Tokyo Olympics, Cate Campbell anchored the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay. Campbell threw down a 52.2 split, solidifying Australia’s stranglehold in the event winning gold. They also lowered their previous world record to 3:29.69.
Campbell won also the bronze medal in 100m free, touching 3rd behind Emma McKeon and Siobhan Haughey.
On Day 8, Cate Campbell anchored Australia’s medley relay, swimming 52.11 to touch first and earn gold.
Why’d I tear up 😭 what a 🐐
Great woman, the way she hugged Abbey Weitzell after the medley relay said it all
Fantastic! What a food for thought for everyone in every situation!
“I am not afraid of being afraid yesterday…. I’m going to go and I am going to be afraid, but I am going to choose in that moment to be brave.”
Brave lady.
….
After Rio, I really admire her strength to go through another 5 years to a fourth Olympics….swimming is such a hard sport, it would have been so easy to throw in the towel and walk away.
I’m wondering if antidepressants should be considered a PED.
No…..they are not going to improve your times or performance.
You don’t think drugs helped Simone Biles?
What would possibly be the logic behind this? They don’t improve athletic performance. If anything they make you fat and sluggish.
Then why not to use pills to improve your mood before start of the race instead of trying to hypnotize herself with some magic words.
What the hell are you talking about, you are belittling mental Health issues you silly man.
Thank you for sharing, this will help other swimmers, hopefully coaches and all involved.