The final night of the Olympic trials – last chance saloon for swimmers who had yet to qualify for the Paris Games - and the atmosphere was thick with emotion. It started with tears. Everyone went to water after the Australian team’s long-time spiritual leader Cate Campbell fell short of qualifying for her fifth Olympic team in the 50m freestyle.
Cate Campbell and Cody Simpson miss out on Paris Olympics swim spots Read more This race was the sequel to the 100m freestyle showdown 24 hours earlier, and featured most of the same protagonists. Each swimmer’s fate was decided in less than 25 seconds, or less than 24 for the winner, Shayna Jack, who set a personal best of 23.99sec and took another step on her path to redemption.
Fellow world medallist Meg Harris snatched the second individual place in the event (24.26) from the reigning Olympic champion Emma McKeon (24.32), who will contest just one individual event in Paris, the 100m butterfly, after winning four gold medals in Tokyo.
Former world champion Campbell, 32, finished seventh (24.76). For the first and last time in her 16-year international career, she fell short of the Australian team.
The signs were there yesterday when she missed the 100m final, but she said she kept her hopes alive for one last day. View image in fullscreen Cate Campbell (centre) is comforted by teammates after failing to qualify in the 50m freestyle. Photograph: Darren England/AAP Once it was over, the crowd stood to acknowledge her.
Younger .
