- Susie O’Neill will not attend the Paris Games this year
- He says he really wants to start trying things he hasn’t done before.
- After turning 50, he wants to get out of his comfort zone
Australian swimming legend Susie O’Neill has appeared in every Olympic Games since she debuted as a swimmer in 1992, but this year she decided to miss the world’s biggest sporting event to focus on her family life.
O’Neill, nicknamed Madame Butterfly by Australian fans, had a stellar career that included two gold, four silver and two bronze medals at the Olympic Games, as well as four world titles and 11 golds at the Commonwealth Games.
She made a triumphant return to the pool after the Sydney Olympics, where she walked away with a gold medal in the 200m freestyle, but lost the final of her favorite event, the 50m freestyle, in heartbreaking fashion.
O’Neill has been at every Games for decades, but he wants to change things up in a big way this year.
Australian swimming great Susie O’Neill (pictured at the Sports Australia Hall of Fame induction ceremony) is breaking with tradition and avoiding the Paris Olympics.
O’Neill has been at every Olympic Games in some capacity since he debuted in 1992.
“I turned 50 last year, so I’m trying to do things I haven’t done before,” he told Herald of the sun.
‘I don’t regret being a swimmer because I love everything that came with it, but there were many things I couldn’t do because I was always training.
“So I’m doing them now and I’m kind of stepping out of my comfort zone.”
This year, O’Neill has planned a holiday abroad with her husband and two children and is looking forward to a well-deserved break.
“It’s not a sad story or anything, but as a swimmer you have to start being quite disciplined and structured from the age of 10 and that doesn’t really stop,” he said.
“Now all of a sudden I don’t have many commitments other than my job, so it’s an exciting time.”
However, O’Neil says he will continue to watch the Games on television and is looking forward to seeing the Australians compete.
“They look so fit, their body shape seems very different to when I was swimming and they look a lot more muscular,” he said.
O’Neill, who recently turned 50, says he hopes to step out of his comfort zone during this Olympics.
“Obviously they’ve done very well, but they also have a lot of pressure on them, even more than normal, probably because they did so well in Tokyo.”
‘I just don’t want to come out and say they’ll do great because it’s hard and I don’t envy them.
“I’m glad my career is over, but I don’t envy their training and I don’t envy them having to compete in the Olympics. I envy them if they win. But it’s hard to get to that point. There are a lot of obstacles they have to overcome.”
O’Neill celebrated his 50th birthday last year by breaking a world record in his first competitive swim since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
She recorded a time of 29:08 in the 50-54 age group at the World Masters Aquatics Championships to beat Britain’s Michelle Ware.