In a stunning example of overcoming adversity, an Australian swimmer has contested an Olympic event without a single inspirational story about the obstacles he had to overcome to realise his dream of competing at the Games.
The only competitor to enter the pool without a backstory, Tim Campbell didn’t let the setback deter him, finishing fourth in what will surely be remembered as one of stories of the Games.
Campbell said it was always his dream to compete in the Olympics and that he wasn’t going to let the lack of a backstory stop him. “It’s been an amazing journey. To get here, against all odds. It’s an amazing feeling”.
He said being up against athletes with such well developed backstories was intimidating. “You see all the other athletes out there with moving backstories, about overcoming adversity, and you wonder how you can compete with that? I didn’t even have a short anecdote about the obstacles I’d overcome. So yeah, there were definitely moments when I thought I didn’t deserve to be swimming at this level. But I just put my head down and pushed through”.
In a tragic beginning to his life, Campbell was born without a backstory, which meant he was always up against it. “It definitely makes it harder. All through my life I’ve had coaches and teachers tell me I couldn’t make it at the highest level without a backstory. But that just motivated me to push harder, to overcome that hurdle and prove everyone wrong”.
