Olympic gold medallist Campbell shines on visit to Penrhos College

OLYMPIC gold medallist Cate Campbell was the surprise guest at Penrhos College’s swimming carnival last Friday.

The visit was made possible after sisters Taneesha and Tiarna Bergin won a national competition at IGA to have Campbell at the school.

Despite rainy conditions, the students and faculty went crazy as Campbell swam and spoke at the school.

Campbell said it was an interesting experience to return to a grassroots event.

“It’ been a long time since I’ve been to a school swimming carnival but it reminded me about why I got into swimming in the first place,” she said.

“The plan for the day was to race the staff and some of the students, which I thought would go down as the race of my career.

“I then chatted with the students about my career, it’s amazing that I’m about a decade older than them, I sometimes feel like a little kid.”

Campbell said she was back in training after only having six weeks off after the Rio Olympics last year.

“We’ve got the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April next year so I’m back in training, it never really stops,” she said.

Taneesha said it was exciting to have Campbell at the school for the swimming carnival.

“I didn’t expect it t happen, it’s an amazing experience and very surreal,” she said.

“I think everyone is very excited to see an Olympian.”