Brittany's Story
Having finished 3rd in the 100m freestyle and 4th in the 200m freestyle at the 2012 National Championships, Brittany Elmslie booked her ticket to London as a part of the relay teams in each event. With little experience on the international scene the 18-year-old did not appear to feel the pressure as she came home with a gold and two silver medals (both as a heat swimmer) on her Olympic debut.
Elmslie took home gold on the opening night of competition in the 4 x 100m relay. Swimming the third leg alongside Alicia Coutts, Melanie Schlanger and Cate Campbell with the Australian’s breaking the Olympic record on the way to the top of the podium. This relay gold would be Australia’s only first place finish in the pool at the London Games.
She then swam in both the heats of the 4 x 200m freestyle relay and the 4 x 100m medley relay for her country. Both these teams went on to win silver behind the USA in the finals.
Elmslie added another medal to her collection at her second Games four years later in Rio. She was part of the quartet that claimed gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. The team of Elmslie, Cate and Bronte Campbell and Emma McKeon smashed the world record and continued their dominance of the event.
Elmslie missed the 2015 World Championships and put her career on hold while she fought a breast cancer scare at age 21. She regained fitness and focus to win her second Olympic gold medal.
