Australia’s The Courier Mail is reporting that reigning world champ Bronte Campbell is battling injuries in the leadup to the Rio 2016 Olympics and will delay a cortisone injection until after the Australian Olympic Trials.
The Courier Mail piece reports that Campbell has been dealing with both hip and shoulder issues in 2016 and doesn’t yet have a full diagnosis on what the problem is.
The 21-year-old Campbell, who won the world championships gold medals in both the 50 and 100 freestyles last summer, will delay a cortisone injection until after Australia’s Hancock Prospecting National Championships, which begin next Thursday, April 7.
“I definitely want to know (what’s wrong) as soon as possible,” Campbell told the Courier Mail this week.
“It has definitely not been the best preparation of my life but I will draw on past experience and I think I’ve got enough work done to put together a good race and that is what I need to do.
“Trials are about getting on the wall first or second and making sure you’re on the team. It’s pretty cut-throat and there is no room for error.”
Campbell hopes to get a more specific diagnosis on her injuries after the meet.
Campbell will shoot for Olympic roster spots in the 50 and 100 freestyles this week, competing with her older sister Cate Campbell, who battled injuries of her own during the 2015 season.
Cate says she’s feeling free of injury pain for the first time in a long while. She told The Courier Mail that she has had at least 6 cortisone shots over the last year and a half but feels great heading into Australian Trials. At the same time, she empathizes with her sister Bronte, who is dealing with adversity Cate knows all too well.
“I seem to have given Bronte all my bad vibes, not intentionally,” Cate said. “I wasn’t trying to sabotage her but it just seemed to be the way things go, just when I start going well her injuries start playing up. We’re a bit of a see saw act at the moment.”