Cate Campbell
2016 Rio Olympics - Swimming - Preliminary - Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay - Heats - Olympic Aquatics Stadium - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 06/08/2016. Cate Campbell (AUS) of Australia looks at the scoreboard. Reuters/Dominic Ebenbichler

Besides cyclist Melissa Hoskins, another Australian athlete who was a part of the country’s delegation to the Rio 2016 Olympics is considering retiring. Swimmer Cate Campbell announced on Wednesday she is leaving the sport because of hernia.

It was because of hernia that Cate Campbell failed to get a medal in the 50 metres and 100 metres freestyle events where she was the favourite. But despite her developing hernia three months before the summer games, Campbell helped the Australian swim team in the medley relay get a silver medal.

But Campbell stresses, “I want it to be very clear that I do not make any excuses for my poor performances this past week,” quotes The Australian. She takes responsibility for her lack of medals.

Campbell had already the hernia when she broke a world record one month before the Olympics. Had she swam 51.97 seconds in the freestyle relay and 52.17 in the medley relay, she would have won a gold in the 100 metres individual event.

Simon Cusack, coach of Campbell, says despite the pain the hernia caused, Campbell did not have a surgery prior to the summer games so as not to affect her preparation. The retiring swimmer would first enjoy a holiday after the Olympics and then go through surgery in October, Cusack says. She hints the result of the surgery might make her reconsider and compete again in Tokyo in 2020.

On Tuesday, the Australian athletes returned from Brazil aboard two chartered flights with 29 medals, eight of which were gold. They were met by supporters, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten, reports ABC.

“All this is a family occasion, the big Australian family — 24 million of us. We embrace you, we applaud you, we've been inspired by you, we are so proud of you,” Turnbull said.

VIDEO: Cate Campbell Hold 1st Place in Olympic Mark Falls in 100m Heat

Source: World News Headlines