Marathon swimmer Chelsea Gubecka will carry the same toughness and resilience into her second Olympic campaign as legendary Australian cyclist Anna Meares, Dolphins head coach Rohan Taylor declared in Brisbane today.
The 25-year-old Queenslander was today unveiled as the first member of Australia’s 2024 Olympic team and was officially welcomed into the team by first time Chief de Mission and Olympic champion Meares – an athlete she admired the most for what will be a monumental achievement for the girl from Yeronga Park Swim Club.
SILVER LINING: Chelsea Gubecka’s silver medal earned her a spot on her second Olympic Team. Photo Courtesy: Wade Brennan
A celebration of a decade of swimming on Australia’s open water team – the longest serving world championship team member – having secured her nomination to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) with her silver medal swim in the 10km World Championship in Japan in July.
“It doesn’t feel real at all … to be the first athlete selected is such an honour,” said Gubecka who made her Olympic debut in Rio in 2016, missing Tokyo but never losing the fire in her belly lit almost eight years ago.
“To go to one Olympics is special but to be a dual Olympian is unbelievable – I was only 17 when I made my first Games so I probably didn’t soak in the experience as much as I should have, but this is really special.
“I have such an amazing support system, my partner, our two dogs, my team at Yeronga Park, my coach Kate Sparkes. To get the call that I was officially selected as the first athlete for Paris just gave me goose bumps.”
And Taylor was quick to acknowledge Gubecka and compare her to Meares saying: “Chelsea has shown incredible resilience (after missing 2020) and it’s a credit to Chelsea, her coach Kate Sparkes and the high-performance team, that she is being recognised today.
“Here is an athlete that first made an Australian Open Water team 10 years ago and at the Worlds in Japan earlier this year, she was our most experienced Dolphin on that campaign.
“Chelsea would be too humble to say this but the toughness and resilience that Anna Meares was admired for (after returning from a broken neck), Chelsea also has in spades.
“In Tokyo, (it was our own) Kareena Lee who won an historic bronze medal – our first Olympic medal in open water swimming – and I know it’s not going to be our last.”
Gubecka follows Olympic marathon swimming pioneers Melissa Gorman and Ky Hurst – who represented Australia both in Beijing in 2008 when open water made it’s Olympic debut and again in London in 2012.
Meares congratulated Gubecka on her selection.
TICKET TO PARIS: Anna Meares with Chelsea Gubecka. Photo Courtesy: Australian Olympic Committee
“This is a fantastic milestone for Chelsea and the entire Australian Olympic Team,” Meares said.
“Chelsea is the first athlete selected of an expected team size of 460 to 480 that will represent Australia with pride at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Winning 10km World Championship silver and mixed relay bronze in July this year, Chelsea has shown she is a world class swimmer. Congratulations Chelsea on being selected for your second Australian Olympic Team.
“This is also a day to celebrate for all those who have contributed to Chelsea’s Olympic journey – Swimming Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport and Queensland Academy of Sport, her coach Kate Sparkes, Yeronga Park Swimming Club, family, friends and supporters who have helped Chelsea become the athlete and person she is today.”
The women’s Marathon Swimming event will take place in the River Seine on August 8, 2024, with the men’s event the following day, at the Pont Alexandre III Bridge venue. The Marathon Swimming and Triathlon swim leg will– see swimming return to the river for Olympic competition for the first time in 124 years, with the return of the river as a swimming location for locals a key regeneration legacy piece for the Paris 2024 Games.
The scene of Australia’s first Olympic swimming gold medals, won by Freddie Lane in the 200m and the 200m freestyle with Obstacles.
Australia has additional opportunities to qualify in both women’s and men’s Marathon Swimming at the 2024 World Championships in February.
RIO FLASHBACK: Chelsea Gubecka in 2016. Photo Courtesy: Australian Olympic Committee.