From the Stage to the Pool: Cody Simpson’s Quest For Olympic Gold
Former Australian pop singer Cody Simpson qualifies for the 2021 Olympic time trials.
In a social media announcement that shocked thousands of fans across the globe, Cody Simpson—Australian pop singer, songwriter and model—announced his qualification for the 2021 Australian Olympic trials, a lifelong dream, according to Simpson.
With the help of his coach, Brett Hawke, a two-time Australian Olympian himself, Simpson was able to shatter the qualifying standard time of 56.87 seconds in the 100-meter butterfly, coming in just under 54.9 seconds.
“It is my greatest ambition in life to expand the limit and perceived notion of what’s possible for someone to achieve in a single lifetime, and I’m here to tell you can do absolutely ANYTHING if you are willing to work for it,” Simpson wrote via Instagram, expressing his gratitude and optimism for the future. “I’m looking forward to seeing where this all takes me on the long road ahead!”
Although his formal training began a mere five months ago, Simpson describes himself as a life-long swimmer, “growing up competing” and setting multiple records at his high school in Queensland, Australia.
Being the son of two former Australian swimmers, Simpson described the sport as a safe bet. In an interview with the New York Times, he reported that he always knew he was “going to be famous at something.” He would tell his parents and family members growing up, “I just don’t know what it is yet.”
Contrary to his original dreams, Simpson made a name for himself outside of the pool.
In 2010, he began regularly uploading videos of himself singing and playing the guitar on popular media sharing sites like Youtube and MySpace, quickly collecting a mass fan base of tween and teen followers.
His newfound virtual popularity led to a deal with Atlantic Records, and soon after, he released his debut single, “iYiYi” in May of 2010. His initial studio album, “Paradise,” followed two years later, with “Surfer’s Paradise” released in 2013 and “Free” in 2015.
Simpson’s performance career didn’t end there. In addition to embarking on several world tours following the success of his albums, he began acting, holding cameos in popular sitcoms like “Cougar Town” and Nickelodeon's “One Crazy Cruise.” He had his Broadway debut in Nov. 2018, playing the lead role of Dimitri in “Anastasia.” Musical success also led him to compete in several reality television shows like “Dancing With the Stars” and “The Masked Singer,” which he won in 2019.
Despite his musical achievements, Simpson craved a return to the pool.
“I love the music industry very much, and I’ll continue to be a musician long into my life...but it’s not as pure of a pursuit as sport, which just comes straight down to the clock,” Simpson stated to the New York Times.
“I have had the chance to experience and learn so much as a musician from touring around the world, releasing albums, performing as a leading man on Broadway, publishing a work of poetry…” Simpson commented via Instagram. “For this I will be forever grateful.”
But after achieving so much success, nothing seems too far out of reach for the Olympic hopeful.
“Now almost exactly 10 years later, here I am poolside once more,” Simpson posted to social media. “For years I had been fuelled by the silent fire in my stomach of returning to the sport of swimming, with the idea that 2020 would be the year I’d try training again. After only 5 months back in the water with my incredible coach @hawkebr, I was able to secure a spot at next year's Australian Olympic trials in the 100 fly.”
With his long-time goal of becoming an Olympian and sharing the spotlight with his swimming idols, Michael Phelps and Caleb Dressal, not too far out of reach, Simpson remains optimistic about the future.
“I’m ambitious, but I’m not a crazy person,” Simpson said in an interview with the New York Times. “I know what I’m up against.”