Advertisement

Campbell clips Magnussen over swimming criticism

Cate Campbell has fired back at James Magnussen after the former world champion criticised Australia's swimming coaches.

Magnussen took aim at coaches after Australia failed to win a single medal on day six of the swimming world championships.

'The Missile' accused Australian coaches of "going against our swimming history" with some questionable relay tactics in recent meets.

HISTORIC LOW: Aussie medley relay team miss final in Budapest

Australia's young 4x200m freestyle relay team of Clyde Lewis, Mack Horton, Alex Graham and Jack Cartwright went closest to a medal on day six, but finished fourth in their final, which was won by Great Britain.

"The relays are really confusing me this meet and they did again in Rio," Magnussen told Fox Sports on Saturday.

"The other countries are leading off with their fastest swimmers, putting leads on the rest of the field and then coming home strong to win the gold."

Magnussen isn't happy. Image: Getty
Magnussen isn't happy. Image: Getty

During her commentary duties for Channel Seven, Campbell said she was "disappointed" by Magnussen's comments, particularly seeing as though he's not part of the team.

"Maggie has done a lot for this team and when you are on the team you can have a say but at the moment he's very far removed from it," she said.

"We did lead off with our fastest swimmer in 2012 (Magnussen led off the gold medal favourites who ended up failing to win a medal)," she added pointedly.

"I think he may have meant well but it's easy to sit back home in your arm chair and be critical. It's a lot harder when you are out here on the pooldeck representing your country."

Australia's head swim coach Jacco Verhaeren told Magnussen that if he wanted to influence strategy then he should get back on the national team.

"Maggie knows very well that these decisions are made within the team, not outside," Verhaeren told Channel Seven.

"I would like to invite him to be part of it next time to have an influence on performance. I think if you want an influence on performance, qualify and be up for it."

Magnussen - who isn't in Budapest - has been left frustrated by Australia's tactics of not leading off with their fastest swimmers in relays, saying he also took issue with it in Rio last year.

"In each of the relays so far Australia has failed to lead off with their fastest swimmers, have been behind from the first leg and have then failed to feature in the medals in a couple of those events.

"It really does confuse me that, in an event that particularly I know — the men's 4x100m freestyle — we had Cam McEvoy, our fastest swimmer, swimming the third leg and by the time it got to him we were already in fourth or fifth position.

McEvoy. Image: Getty
McEvoy. Image: Getty

"There's not much you can do swimming in that, what we call, 'messy water' when you're behind.

"I'd like to see Australia lead off with out fastest swimmers and even if we don't win a medal, at least at the end of the race we could say 'we were in with a shot'."