Swimming legend, Dolphins veteran, and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Cate Campbell, swam her final competitive lap last month after she failed to qualify for Paris 2024 in the Australian swim trials.
At the end of that race, after being embraced by her competitors, Cate gave a tearful and remarkably articulate poolside interview that will no doubt go down in history as a poignant example of retirement done right.
Speaking with interviewer Giaan Rooney – who seemed to be fighting back tears herself – Cate spoke about her legacy as a four-time Olympic gold medal winner, acknowledging her teammates and thanking her family and the sport of swimming itself.
When asked about her sister Bronte, who had already qualified for Paris 2024, Cate lit up as she encouraged the crowd to show their support for the fact that “there’s still a Campbell on the Australian Dolphins swim team.”
It was a memorable television moment made even more memorable by a seasoned media professional.
Commentators had previously predicted that this moment would signal her retirement. About a week later, with an announcement as perfectly executed as some of her past races, Cate confirmed this news via Instagram.
Television and newspaper stories all ran with comments pulled from this post, using her quotes as headlines or quoting them in TV news scripts: “I am entering my cheerleading era” or “It’s been a long and wild ride,” were some of the most popular excerpts pulled from the post.
“I gave the pursuit of a 5th Olympics everything I had, and therefore, even in failure, there is a small, indelible kernel of pride,” it read.
Cate’s retirement announcement is a lesson in the art of using social media to your highest advantage: you manage the messages, you protect your brand, and you choose the words you want to say.
Compare this strategy with other sports stars on the brink of retirement, who may find themselves fumbling over their response to the inevitable question in a press conference.
An uncertain response will lead to speculation, which leads to inaccurate stories and a brand that is weakened by that lack of certainty.
As for Cate, she managed the whole process in the same way she managed her remarkable career: with class, sincerity, grace, and professionalism.
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