Cate Campbell announced her retirement on Wednesday after failing to qualify for a fifth Olympics, ending a run in which she set seven world records and won eight total medals in the Summer Games. Regarded as one of the best relay swimmers the sport has known, the Aussie missed out on a Paris berth in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the qualifiers this month.

"I gave the pursuit of a fifth Olympics everything I had, and therefore, even in failure, there is a small, indelible kernel of pride," she said in a statement late Wednesday. "It's been a long and wild ride and I wouldn't change it for the world. I can't wait to cheer on the Australian Dolphins and the rest of the Australian Olympic Team in Paris."

Campbell made her first Olympic team aged 15 in 2008, winning two bronze medals in Beijing. She went on to claim six more Olympic medals, four of them gold in relays, and had a similarly impressive record at the world championships, winning 12 medals including four golds.

Her world records mostly came in the 4x100m freestyle relay, an event in which she won at the last three Olympics in London, Rio and Tokyo. Campbell also held the 100m world record in 2016 after smashing the previous best set by Germany's Britta Steffen during the supersuit era.

"Her service and contribution to swimming is just incredible -– not just for what she achieved in the pool but also outside of it," said Australian head coach Rohan Taylor. "She is a genuine leader, part of the Dolphins' leadership group, was always team first, and swam with heart."

Campbell amassed four gold medals, one silver and three bronze medals during her Olympic career. “After over 20 years, over 35,00km, over 19,000,000 stokes, four Olympics, eight Olympic medals, seven world records and countless memories it’s time to officially say goodbye to the dream I have had since I was nine years old,” Campbell said. “As of today, I am officially retired from elite sport. I have had some time over the past week to reflect on my career, and while there are many conflicting emotions, especially because it did not end exactly how I had hoped, I am still able to look back without regret. I am entering my cheerleading era.”

Taylor described Campbell’s contribution to swimming as “just incredible” and wished her well. “Not just for what she achieved in the pool but also outside of it,” he said. “She is a genuine leader ... [and] was always team first. Her anchor of the medley relay in Tokyo – her skills on the changeover – was class and grit.”