Five-times Olympic gold medallist Mollie O’Callaghan has dived back into racing at the 2024 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships and has made a splash both in and out of the pool at Brisbane’s Sleeman Aquatic Centre.
One of Australia’s golden girls in the Paris pool has only been back in the water for a month, swimming once a day and getting back run to the swim of things…just for the fun of it.
The 200m freestyle Olympic champion and a key member of Australia’s gold medal winning 4×100 and 4x200m freestyle relays in Paris, Mollie O loves a relay and yesterday she was back in relay mode, part of the St Peters Western Women’s 4×50 freestyle team with fellow St Peters Western Paris Olympian Jaclyn Barclay, Chloe Douglas-Byrne and Kaci Curtis (Chloe is the daughter of 84 Olympian and 82 and 86 Com Games rep Dimity Douglas).
And with the Mixed 4x50m freestyle relay team that set a new QLD Record with Douglas-Byrne, emerging sprint star Jamie Jack (brother of Shayna Jack) and Paris Olympian Kai Taylor (son of Australian great Hayley Lewis).
It was Jack who started off with a bang in a new personal best 50m freestyle time of 21.74 – the 6th fastest time by an Australian.
SHE’S BACK: Mollie O’Callaghan in today’s100m backstroke. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
And tonight O’Callaghan started her program with a win in the 100m backstroke in 59.51, ahead of team mate Hannah Fredericks (1:00.76) and Layla Day (Bond) 1:00.94, before tackling a gruelling 17 years and over 800m freestyle where she finished eighth in 8:58.26 – a race won by SA’s Mollie Walker in 8:39.41.
And that’s the extent of O’Callaghan’s State’s program interrupted by a dental appointment on Monday to have her wisdom teeth removed.
“Originally I wasn’t in the mental space to race again…but this year it’s just about popping into States for all the kids to keep inspiring the next generation,” said Mollie.
“Coach Dean (Boxall) and I agreed I’d race for two days – the relay day and the first day. I would have done more races but I’m actually having my wisdom teeth out as it’s the only time I could do it ,….
“I think I was more scared at doing the 800m – I am so unfit. But I’ll try and do my best as well as the 100m backstroke..I have to be a little bit selfish and have some time away from my main events….especially after the year I’ve had.
“I’ve been back in the water for just over a month now. But it’s just come in the mornings and do as much as you want and get back into the rhythm. There’s been no structure, I’m probably the most unfittest person in the squad at the moment which is quite embarrassing.
“I’m always last in and last out. It has been quite hectic out of the water…the functions and the awards nights have been a priority…the Olympics only comes around every four years and you dedicate so much time to swimming and everyone works around you so its time to give back and experience life outside of the pool.
“My return has been more about the fun rather than the purpose and the outcome…and building that positive connection with the pool again….because we are here always doing the grinding, always doing the hard work…all through the highs and lows so it’s nice to have the time to be amongst the culture too…we all become friends…and talk about things other than swimming…and enjoy being back…”
“To come back from Paris and have so many people come up to you and want to talk about the Olympics…and parents saying ‘you’re my kids hero’..it’s georgeous..it’s wonderful. And that actually makes me really proud about what I have done…because I still don’t see myself as an Olympic champion in a way…”
On the eve of the Queensland Championships, Swimming Queensland and St Peters Western invited photographer Wade Brennan to join Australia’s No 1 Squad for an exclusive underwater look at Mollie O in action alongside team mats fellow Olympian Jamie Perkins and emerging backstroker Hannah Fredericks.
THE MAN BEHIND THE LENS: Wade Brennan Photographer on assignment in Paris this year.
