This open letter originally appeared on Exclusive Insight and has been republished here with full permission.
Dear Keyboard Warriors,
Hi it’s me, Cate. You may remember we had a bit of a run in about two years ago and have had brief encounters ever since.
I don’t think we have ever actually spoken directly, you’ll talk about me, then I might have a brief passing comment about you in return and the cycle continues.
But I think it’s time we talked – not face-to-face, because let’s not forget, you are faceless, while I very much am not – but at least directly to one another – no intermediaries. No journalists.
Let’s revisit the initial incident where we got well acquainted. 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The final of the 100m freestyle. I was the undisputed favourite.
The World, Olympic and Commonwealth Record holder in the event.
The sure bet (as many of you have subsequently told me “I lost money on you!”), I was all but guaranteed that Olympic gold medal.
It would be another gold for the Australian medal tally, another reason to gloat to your Pommy friends, another reason to down that can of XXXX gold.
But I was also just a person. And as it turns out, I wasn’t the sure bet. I wasn’t a contributor to Australia’s medal tally.
I wasn’t another great Australian asset to boast about. Although I probably was still the reason you downed that can of XXXX – sadly it probably tasted more like VB.