Cody Simpson's telling admission about Emma McKeon amid swimmer's startling Olympic confession
The Paris Games will be Emma McKeon's last Olympics.
Cody Simpson has admitted that he is unsure what he and his partner Emma McKeon's future will hold after the Olympic icon confessed that this year's Paris Games will be her last Olympics. Australia's golden swimming couple are both heading into unfamiliar territory following the 2024 Games, with their lives set for a major shake-up.
The Paris Games will mark 29-year-old McKeon’s third Olympic appearance but the Aussie said earlier this month it will be her last, expressing she has no desire to continue her career through to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Simpson has gone back and forth on whether or not he will continue to chase swim glory after this year's Games but currently appears unlikely to qualify for Paris.
Simpson had previously suggested the Paris Games would be his last but in December clarified he still hadn't made up his mind, with his full attention on qualifying for Paris. But in an interview with News Corp, the musician-turned-swimmer said he hoped Paris could be a "fairytale ending" to his swimming journey. Simpson also revealed that his next steps with McKeon will be decided after Paris and says he is excited for her to explore other things.
"I’ve purposefully put a brick wall on either side of it, in that I will address it when it comes,” he said. “But never once in my life have I not known what is next. Emma has never had a life without swimming. I know what it is like, but she has never had it, so I’m excited for her to explore her other interests and have the time to do that because she has never had it as a kid.
"I’m very fortunate to be someone who has a lot of things on the other side to look forward to regardless and another passion and career entirely that I am able to pursue again depending on what I decide on out of the pool. I don’t know what I’ll do yet, but I’ll make that decision later this year."
Cody Simpson's Paris dream looking more unlikely by the day
However, Simpson's decision may not be his to make with the 27-year-old's Olympic dream looking more unlikely by the day. Simpson found fame at a young age as a music star but put his singing career on hold in 2019 to chase his dream of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
And while the swimmer has surpassed what many thought was possible, claiming relay gold and silver medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, qualifying for the Games appears too big of a leap. In his appearance at the Australian Open championships on the Gold Coast earlier this month, Simpson showed he is still well off the pace needed to make Paris.
Competing in the 100m butterfly, Simpson came fourth in a time of 52.32 seconds. That time is about half a second outside his personal best and well back of some of his rivals, including the long-course 100m butterfly record holder Matt Temple, who dominated the race in a time of 50.8 seconds.
Simpson also finished more than a second behind second-placed Shaun Champion and would need to find another couple of body lengths at the Olympic trials in June if he was to qualify.
On Saturday night, his 100m freestyle time also wasn't anything to write home about, coming 9th in the 10-man field. Kyle Chalmers sizzled in a time of 47.63 seconds, with Simpson finishing almost two seconds behind, with a time of 49.66 seconds.
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Emma McKeon targets personal best at Paris Olympics
McKeon recently took a break away from the pool to give her body and mind some time off before her Paris campaign gets into full swing. The 29-year-old is already Australia’s most decorated Olympian, with a record 11 medals for Australia. She also sits level with Ian Thorpe for the most gold medals with five.
And ahead of what will be her third and final Olympics, McKeon said she isn't concerned about winning medals, she just wants to swim the fastest she ever has. "I think swimming will always be a part of my life and has been for my whole life so far," McKeon told Olympics.com.
"But this will definitely be my last Olympics, so I’m excited for that. Success for me in Paris would be to swim faster than I ever have before."