Bronte Campbell, the four-time Olympic swimmer and two-time gold medallist, was asked to finish this sentence: “I will be happy and fulfilled after the Paris Olympics if…”
Her composed and measured answer shows precisely why the sprint freestyle staple is such an asset to a young and talented Dolphins squad about to enter the unpredictable maelstrom of Olympic competition.
“I’m already happy and fulfilled. It’s the best place to be competing from,” Bronte said. “If you are looking to sport for happiness and fulfillment, you’re never going to get it.
“You always want more, there’s always more you could have done, there is no such thing as a perfect race…. you could achieve everything you want and still feel like you want more.
“It’s not the place for either of those things. Luckily, I’ve already got that sorted.”
The Dolphins are in the midst of some generational change, with long-term leaders like Bronte’s older sister Cate Campbell, Rio 400m champion Mack Horton and backstroke ace Mitch Larkin finishing their careers in recent months.
It makes Bronte an even more valuable member of the team as she brings not just speed but counsel, context and a sense of calm to the group, especially the 4x100m freestyle relay she hopes to be a part of on night one as it chases a fourth-consecutive Olympic title.
Even out of the water, she exudes a sense of zen, spending her spare time making pottery and practicing yoga, which she embraced to help with the chronic and painful injuries that almost ended her career on multiple occasions. At 30, she’s wiser than her years and finds deep rewards in empowering others just starting on their Olympic journey.
“If you’ve been here a while and done this a lot, you end up just being a little bit calmer. I hope I’m a calming presence. Every single one of the people on this team deserves to be here; I don’t need to tell people how to swim,” Bronte said.
“I’ve had young swimmers in the past ask me ‘how should I swim my 200m butterfly?’. I said: ‘I don’t know how to do that…. but you do. You’ve already done it.’
“It’s just getting back to those basics and getting them to believe in that on the big stage. Everyone here should believe in themselves because they have earned the right to wear the green and gold and step out under those Olympic rings.”
There is a sense of wonderment for Bronte in Paris as she breathes in each and every moment. After Tokyo, where the Dolphins performed magnificently in front of empty stands, the chance to feel the roar of a crowd, to see a family member or partner, is a reward on its own.
“I really missed this. It’s why I came back. Getting to the competition pool, walking around it together, looking up at the stands that will not be empty this time - they will be full of people, they will be full of our family, full of our friends, full of our supporters - it’s an incredible thing.
“I’m just taking everything in and being in the moment and getting that little hit of adrenalin through your veins. This is why we do this, because we don’t train for three years, get up at 4am every morning, we don’t punish ourselves in the gym, we don’t give up every social thing we have ever done in our lives just to keep doing that.
“We do it for the Olympic Games. The whole reason we like to do it is because it means something. It means something to you, it means something to your family, it means something to your country. I can’t wait for it to begin.”
It may be a week of reflection and introspection but Bronte is a pure-bred racer who thrives on the big stage. With Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack finishing top-two at the Olympic trials, Bronte (who finished fourth) will likely swim with Meg Harris, young gun Olivia Wunsch and Tokyo 100m freestyle champion Emma McKeon in the heats, with the two quickest elevated into the final four.
“I just want to swim fast, that’s it. I just love swimming fast, it’s the best feeling ever,” Bronte said.
“On morning number one, I want to put down something I’m really happy with. If I put down a time that reflects my good work and every other girl puts down a time that is faster than me, then I’m stoked for them.
“If everyone swims faster than me, then we’ve got a bloody great relay team. What a thrill to be part of that.”
Phil Lutton
