Cate Campbell Announces She’s Skipping World Championships

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According to a report from The Australian, Cate Campbell will not be headed to Budapest for this summer’s World Championships. She still plans to compete throughout the year but not on the biggest stage in July.

“I’m in no way taking a year off. I’m not retiring, I’m not thinking about retiring, I’m just not making myself available for selection. I’m taking a long-term approach and focusing on the 2018 Commonwealth Games and then looking forward to 2020. So this year isn’t about being the best, it’s about being my best. I’m taking a bit of a mental health year,” Campbell said, according to The Australian’s Nicole Jeffery.

“I’m just making sure I get my body right and my mind right because I do want to continue through to 2018, and at the moment, 2020.”

Jeffery indicated in the report that the mental toll of finishing outside the medals in both the 50 and 100 free in Rio along with some nagging injuries, particularly to her neck, could have contributed to Campbell’s decision.

The Campbell family could still be represented in Budapest, however, as Cate’s younger sister Bronte Campbell is the defending World champion in both the 50 and 100 free. Her status for this year has not yet been disclosed.

Cate Campbell’s racing schedule will reportedly include Mare Nostrum and World Cup meets and, certainly, the New South Wales Open championships. She opened that meet with an impressive 100 free performance, where she posted a time of 53.15 that ranks first in the world for 2017.

The Australian also notes that two-time 100 free World Champion James Magnussen and 200 fly Olympic silver medalist Madeline Groves are both out of Worlds as well, but both plan to compete moving forwards. All three have pointed towards the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast of Australia.

Such a move is not unprecedented. After the 2008 Games, breaststroker Leisel Jones chose to skip the World Championships in Rome the year after she won Olympic gold in the 100 breast but was upset by Rebecca Soni in the 200 breast. Jones went on to return to the Olympics in London, where she won a silver medal on Australia’s 400 medley relay.

Read more from The Australian by clicking here.

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