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Cate Campbell Is Back, Posts 53.52 100 Free At First Meet Since Tokyo

2023 BRISBANE SENIOR METRO CHAMPIONSHIPS

Multi-Olympic medalist Cate Campbell of Australia was back in the water, competing at her first swimming meet since the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

The 30-year-old wasted no time putting her typical speed on display, winning the women’s 19&O 100m freestyle in a swift 53.52.

After establishing herself as the top-seeded swimmer with a casual swim of 54.58 out of the prelims, Campbell turned on the heat to split 25.76/27.76 to grab the gold.

And, just like that, C1 now ranks as the 3rd fastest swimmer in the world this season.

2022-2023 LCM Women 100 Free

2Sarah
Sjostrom
SWE52.2407/23
3Shayna
Jack
AUS52.2807/23
4Siobhan
Haughey
HGK52.4907/28
5Emma
McKeon
AUS52.5206/17
View Top 26»

At the Tokyo Olympics, Campbell earned individual bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle, marking 12 years since her first and only other individual Olympic medal of the same color in the 50m free from the Beijing Games. Campbell was also a critical member of the Australian women’s podium-topping 400m free and 400m medley relays in Tokyo.

After the Games, Campbell took a long break to tend to her mental and physical health, opting out of last year’s Long Course World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Short Course World Championships.

Campbell returned to the water last fall with an at-peace approach to training. “After taking the longest time out of the water in my life, I’m reminding myself that it’s okay to start from where I am – not from where I was, or where I want to be,” she said in September.

C1’s time of 53.52 this early in the season bodes well for the veteran to stake her claim not only on a potential individual 100m freestyle bid but also a coveted spot on the Aussie women’s 4x100m freestyle relay for this summer’s World Championships.

The Aussie women are in the midst of a sprint zenith, with a seemingly endless arsenal of world-class 100m freestylers.

Shayna Jack just put up the top time in the world last night at the New South Wales Open Championships, clocking 53.12 while the nation’s winningest Olympian of all-time, Emma McKeon, also produced a super strong 53.55.

Meg Harris has also already been under the 54-second threshold with a mark of 53.91 while Madi Wilson‘s season-best of 54.06 is right on the cusp. Mollie O’Callaghan has already proved her mettle in this 100m free event, owning a lifetime best of 52.49.

Throw in emerging young talent to the tune of Olivia Wunsch, Milla Jansen and Hannah Casey and it very well may be a bloodbath to get to the wall for a relay spot.

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Aussie
1 year ago

Young guns might just have to wait until LA for a relay spot geez

commonwombat
Reply to  Aussie
1 year ago

Simple answer.

Swim the times and beat the oldies = you get the plane ticket to Paris. If they don’t ….

Troyy
Reply to  commonwombat
1 year ago

The problem for the other countries is this just might force the young ones to swim the times

Luigi
1 year ago

One of the most beautiful, if not THE most beautiful, strokes in women’s sprint freestyle. Change my mind.

Jfhhfd
Reply to  Luigi
1 year ago

Freestyle in general

Loeb
Reply to  Luigi
1 year ago

Totally agreed

At her peak, she swam looking so smooth and effortless while making the rest who splashed around seemed not moving forward.

Aquajosh
Reply to  Luigi
1 year ago

Van Almsick
Alshammar

Chas
1 year ago

Admiring the wisdom expressed in her interviews. Her experience and maturity adds to the sport.

wow
1 year ago

Cate being faster than Emma this weekend wasn’t on my bingo card.

PFA
1 year ago

That’s one heck of a time for her

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

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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