- Shayna Jack has qualified for Paris
- She will be part of the relay team.
- Jack, 25, was suspended for doping
Shayna Jack secured her place at the Paris Olympics after qualifying in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Jack, 25, missed the Tokyo Games three years ago while serving a doping ban. She has always denied using performance-enhancing drugs and maintains her innocence.
And it was redemption for the Australian after booking her ticket to France with a strong swim in the 200m freestyle, touching the wall in fifth place tied with teammate Jamie Perkins.
It means he will be part of Australia’s relay team in Paris.
A delighted Jack admitted she feared her Olympic dream had ended during her ban from competing.
Shayna Jack has qualified for the Olympics three years after missing the Tokyo Games
Jack, 25, served a doping ban but maintains his innocence
“There was probably a point where I thought I didn’t want to be an Olympic athlete anymore, even if I had given up on that dream,” Jack said.
“But I didn’t and I know that my family, my friends and my partner are really proud of me no matter what happened tonight and moving forward for the rest of this week it’s about me and what I wanted to achieve since I was young”. girl.’
After his arduous journey, which saw him appeal his suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Jack said he intended to enjoy the moment.
“I definitely went into this with the mindset that I really want to enjoy the ride,” he said.
‘I really don’t want to go through a phase where I don’t love the sport anymore.
“So I really wanted to start off by enjoying the journey, remembering that no matter what I’ve done, I’ve tried hard, I’ve given it my all, and I basically come out proud of myself no matter what.”
Jack could still compete for Australia in the 100m and 50m freestyle, if he performs well in the heats on Friday and Saturday respectively.
“Last year I was lucky enough to be part of the 4x200m relay (at the Commonwealth Games) that broke the world record,” Jack said.