Dolphins told: you can’t lean on Cate

THE signs may be good for Cate Campbell before lining up against the might of the United States at the Pan Pacs in Tokyo.

But her coach Simon Cusack has warned the Dolphins that they can’t keep “leaning” on the veteran at major swim meets, saying medals will be hard to come by in Japan.

Campbell, 26, has shown no signs of slowing down since her remarkable comeback at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, impressing at the Dolphins’ Cairns camp before next month’s Pan Pacs.

Cusack said a post-Rio break had ensured his star charge could look ahead to at least the 2020 Tokyo Olympics despite her veteran status.

However, he believed Australia could not keep relying on Campbell to shine each year as she contemplated taking more breaks to extend her stellar career.

“It’s nice to have her around to at least that period (2020 Olympics),” he said at their Cairns camp.

“But with athletes this far into their career we can’t expect to lean on them every year for every benchmark meet.

“With longevity we are looking at balancing her life and more time away from the pool.”

Campbell will spearhead the Dolphins at the August 9-14 Pan Pacs after breaking two national records and claiming a dominant 100m freestyle gold over Olympic champion Penny Oleksiak of Canada at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

It was a shot in the arm for Campbell who almost retired after the former world record holder finished a shock sixth in the Rio 100m gold medal race.

The 33-strong Australian team will need all the help they can get against world No.1 US, expected to boast about 100 athletes at the Pan Pacs.

Cusack said Campbell would take another post-Pan Pacs break to help ease the veteran through to Tokyo and possibly beyond.