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On her darkest days, Shayna Jack found only one reason to get out of bed. "I had my beautiful great Dane, Hugo, and he was a reason I got out of bed," the swimmer said. "And I would be proud of myself just for that.

I had a reason to get up. "It might not be the biggest feat but on that day it was everything because I achieved getting out of bed." Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.



Jack's path to the Olympic pool in Paris hit rock bottom when suspended for doping. Five years ago, the Brisbane-born freestyler's life turned on positive tests to the banned substance ligandrol ahead of the July, 2019 world championships. Jack's initial four-year ban was reduced to two on appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport which found she didn't knowingly ingest the substance.

The two years had dark days. "For me, I kept trying to be this person that was happy and always strong," she said. "And I thought to myself: No, I don't have to always be strong.

"I can be completely authentic and honest and show that emotion that I was going through hell. I was going through hell." Jack, who always maintained innocence, sank low before realising: "It's OK to not be OK.

" "I have gone through my mental health challenges," she said. "It was a learning curve. It's something that I have to continually work at.

"I used to see a psychiatrist when I really was at my lowest and really needed that professional help to actually understand what I was going throug.

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