Swimmer Cate Campbell Breaks 100-Meter Freestyle World Record

Australian swimmer Cate Campbell made a loud statement heading into the Olympics next month after setting a new world record in the 100-meter freestyle at the Brisbane Grand Prix on Saturday.

Per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Campbell broke the record previously held by Germany's Britta Steffen with a time of 52.06 seconds. 

Steffen previously held the record in this event with a time of 52.07 seconds set during the 2009 world championships. 

"It happened when I least expected it," Campbell said, via the AP report. "People have been asking me when am I going to break a world record for the last three years. Now they will stop asking me the question."

However, per the Australian Associated Press (via the Guardian), Campbell did acknowledge that she would trade this record for a bigger prize, while also invoking a key scene from one of the greatest underdog movies ever made:

"

Anyone who goes to the Olympics and says they are not after gold are kidding themselves. But one of my favourite movies is Cool Runnings and the coach says this great quote: ‘a gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you are not enough without it you will never be enough with it’.

That’s something I have to take to heart. Gold would be the pinnacle for me but I have to make sure I am OK if that doesn’t happen.

"

The 24-year-old Campbell is the top-ranked female swimmer in the 100-meter freestyle, per the International Swimming Federation. She did win an Olympic gold medal four years ago as part of Australia's 4x100 meter freestyle relay team, but does not have an individual gold on her mantle. 

Based on Saturday's result, and her motivation to take that next step this year, Campbell is poised to become Australia's first gold-medal winner in the 100-meter freestyle at the Olympics since Jodie Henry in 2004.