Impact of Stilnox still sore point in the pool

THE fallout from the misuse of controversial sleeping medication Stilnox continues to linger over Australian Swimming, with Cate Campbell’s coach revealing a lack of sleep may have cost the star gold in Rio.

Stilnox was banned by the Australian Olympic Committee after revelations Grant Hackett formed a reliance on the drug and the brand becoming synonymous with bad behaviour following the sprint relay team’s “initiation” hijinks ahead of the London Games.

And while other sleep medication would have been available to Campbell in Rio, Swimming Australia’s policy that it should be used as a last resort and the fallout from past sleeping tablet scandals, is likely to have stopped the sprinter from seeking relief.

Campbell’s coach Simon Cusack said his sprinter had less than three hours’ sleep the night before the Olympic final as she battled the massive weight of favouritism.

“I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on 2016 and a lot of it was down to her not having enough sleep,” Cusack said about Campbell’s effort in the 100m freestyle, where she finished sixth, more than a second outside the world record she had set a month earlier.

“She’s one person who’s hopeless without sleep.”

Australia’s Olympic athletes had workshops ahead of the Games to give them tools to be able to get to sleep without chemical aids.