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Cate Campbell Drops Out Of Aussie World Championship Trials

2023 AUSTRALIAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

The 2023 Australian World Championship Trials kick off on Tuesday, June 13th with the competition representing the sole opportunity for swimmers to gain qualification for Fukuoka.

We’re combing through the star list which was just released and already a big name is missing from the lineup.

Four-time Olympian Cate Campbell will no longer be competing in Melbourne, dropping out of the competition where she was expected to at least race the women’s 50m and 100m freestyle events.

C1 took to Instagram to reveal she’s been battling a cold, which has tipped her decision to withdraw.

“I’ve been struggling to shake a nasty winter cold for over a week now, while still trying to train and do everything else in life.

She continued, “Today I finally conceded defeat and spent the day on the couch. A reminder that sometimes you need to slow down in order to speed up – also a good book and puppy cuddles cures just about anything.”

C1 has competed several times this year with her first post-Tokyo Olympic Games meet represented by the Brisbane Metro Senior Championships in March. There she posted a quick time of 53.52 to kick off her 2023 calendar year of racing.

The speedster followed that performance up with times of 24.88 in the 50m free and 53.78 in the 100m free to place 3rd and 5th, respectively, at the Australian Swimming Championships the following month.

Then C1 carried her momentum across the Mare Nostrum Tour, participating in all 3 stops of Canet, Barcelona and Monaco. She posted the following results:

Canet

  • 4th in 50m free, 24.77
  • 3rd in 100m free, 53.78

Barcelona

  • 4th in 50m free, 24.97
  • 3rd in 100m free, 53.78

Monaco

  • 2nd in 50m free skins, rounds included times of 24.58, 24.64, 24.34, 24.34 and 24.60
  • 2nd in 100m free, 53.52

The fact that Campbell has withdrawn from the World Championship Trials doesn’t hold nearly as much weight as if another star would bypass the event. The 31-year-old has made her all-in intentions for Paris 2024 widely known, already stating that had she made the World Championships team, she wouldn’t have competed in Fukuoka anyway.

And, sister Bronte Campbell is following suit. Although 29-year-old C2 is indeed entered in these Trials, she has stated that she, too, will forego competing in Fukuoka at this summer’s World Championships.

Even sans the Campbell sisters, Australia is far from lacking in the women’s sprint department.

Shayna Jack and Meg Harris currently rank as the 2nd and 3rd-swiftest women in the world right now in the 50m free while Mollie O’Callaghan holds the #2 spot in the 100m free while Jack, Emma McKeon and Harris are also among the top 10 performers in the world thus far.

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Troyy
1 year ago

Jack Cartwright is on the final start list 😍 50/100/200 Free

Just realised Abbey Connor is also entered so I guess she must have changed her mind about retiring? 100/200 Fly

Troyy
1 year ago

Some things I noticed other than who is missing:

1. No McKeon in the 200 so I guess she’s done with it 😔
2. Chalmers still targetting 100 fly despite not swimming it at Syd Open
3. McEvoy swimming the 100
4. Winnington swimming every distance 50-1500
5. Kaylee targetting the 4×2
6. Madi Wilson has eyes on that 100 back medly relay prelim?
7. Tommy Neill swimming both IMs

Quite a few promising juniors entered.

Start list sorted by seed time: https://pastebin.com/Acv97isk

Last edited 1 year ago by Troyy
Personal Best
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

Thank you for the summary – some interesting entries indeed. Hope we see some of them eventuate.

Jimmyswim
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

Troyy I wish I had seen this list before doing my picks haha. This is what I needed! Thanks for putting that together.

Troyy
Reply to  Jimmyswim
1 year ago

I was gonna post a bigger write up than this after I posted the start list yesterday afternoon but the start list post got swallowed by the spam filter so I gave up 🙄 Should’ve saved it in a txt file.

Joel
1 year ago

So cool that all her swims this year have been 53.52 or 53.78. 5 different finals swims.

Marklewis
1 year ago

Cate is kind of running on fumes at this point in her career.

So better just to just chill and rest and feel good. Wasn’t going to WCs anyway!

She’s says she’s planning on trying for Paris. But probably just if everything goes perfectly for her. I could see her dropping out if she’s isn’t happy with the way her comeback is going.

gitech
1 year ago

Predicitions women’s 100 free:
1. Mollie o callaghan
2. Shayna Jack
3. Emma mckeon
4. Meg harris
5. Madi wilson
6. Titmus/throssel

Predicitions women’s 200 free:
1. Mollie o callaghan
2. Titmus
3. Jack
4. Wilson
5. Mckeown
6. Throssel/ pallister / melverton

Last edited 1 year ago by gitech
gitech
Reply to  gitech
1 year ago

Jamie perkins in 200 free is a factor

Swim2win
1 year ago

Can’t cut it anymore. Fun fact. She has just 1 individual long course world or Olympic gold to her name (and it was the Olympics). And that’s was 10 years ago. Just could never get it done

Swim2win
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

Wasn’t* the Olympics* her reputations is bigger than he results.

Robbos
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

Maybe you are right at the Olympics, but 17 of the top 50 swims in the 100 free, nearly twice that of anyone else shows her results are there.
Plus 7 of the fastest relay splits ever & 3 Olympic golds in the relay shows results are there as well.

Joel
Reply to  Robbos
1 year ago

4 golds

Robbos
Reply to  Joel
1 year ago

Yes correct.

I was more only thinking 4×100 Free.

Same Same
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

Sad that you make such a dismissive comment in reference to her career. She is 31 and, at this stage, has earned the right to be able to pick and choose her schedule. We can’t wonder why so many swimmers suffer from anxiety/stress when this kind of criticism gets thrown at them at every level. She has competed in FOUR Olympic Games and earned 8 Olympic medals – 4 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze – and, no, I don’t care if they’re ind or relay because it’s eight more than you’ll ever get “Swim2win”. Fun fact.

Troyy
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

She could make the US 4×1 no problem.

Jimmyswim
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

Her time in Monaco in-season after a year long break would have literally won the last US Olympic trials.

She also has 13 world records but who cares about that.

Last edited 1 year ago by Jimmyswim
Summer is Titmus’ Sleep Paralysis Demon
1 year ago

Maybe…just retire for good. Your days in the sun are over.

Chlorinetherapy

Whereas yours never even got started…..

Summer is Titmus’ Sleep Paralysis Demon
Reply to  Chlorinetherapy
1 year ago

I WATCH swimming, hunny. For funsies. Kate Kampbel has always been a mental midget and a choker. And at her old age, with better freestylers at home and abroad nowadays, she should call it quits 🌚

Robbos

8 Olympic medals & 12 WC medals says otherwise.

Summer is Titmus’ Sleep Paralysis Demon
Reply to  Robbos
1 year ago

Hey Alexa, what’s Kat Campbell’s favourite dry land exercise?

Alexa: Heimlich Maneuver

SussySwimmer

Can’t even spell her own name right, Bummer!

Steve Nolan
1 year ago

comment image

snailSpace
Reply to  Steve Nolan
1 year ago

Come on guys, he is obviously memeing.

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Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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