Cate Campbell has spent most of her life in or around water.

The oldest of five siblings, Cate was introduced to swimming by her mother Jenny, who was a former synchronized swimmer. Born in Malawi, Cate moved with her family to Brisbane in 2001 at the age of 9.

Alongside her younger sister Bronte, Cate developed a passion for competitive swimming and quickly proved to be exceptionally talented.

Cate made her international debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games when she was just 16 years old, where she won 2 bronze medals. Over the course of her career, she would compete five Olympic games, and become one of Australia’s most decorated swimmers.

Cate has set multiple records in the pool, including the world record for the short course 100m freestyle which she still holds today.

However, her most cherished moment in the pool was during the 2012 Olympic trials when, after 20 years in the pool, Bronte qualified for the Olympics alongside her.

In 2013, for her tremendous contribution to swimming, Cate was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

Cate officially announced her retirement from competitive swimming in 2024.