He took to Instagram to share the exciting news with his 3.9 million followers on Monday, after returning to the pool just five months ago. The Golden Thing hitmaker had previously abandoned his “first love” to pursue a career in music, only to start training again after his high-profile split with the songstress.
He secured his spot by swimming the 100m butterfly in 54.9 seconds, smashing the qualifying benchmark of 56.87 seconds. The trials are set to take place next year in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“I just qualified for my first Olympic trials,” he began the lengthy post.
“I’d love to share this personal milestone and let you in on my current journey as an athlete that I’ve kept relatively low key until now. Growing up competing, and then inevitably having to cut my career short as 13-year-old Australian champion when I was given an opportunity in music that I couldn’t refuse.”
“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, traveling with and speaking at the United Nations on environmental and oceanic matters and much more. For this I will be forever grateful,” he continued. “Now almost exactly 10 years later, here I am once more.”
Cody explained that for years he had been “fuelled by the silent fire” in his stomach, with the idea that 2020 would be the year he’d take up swimming again. He added that it is his “greatest ambition to expand the limit and perceived notion of what’s possible for someone to achieve in a single lifetime.”
“I’m here to tell you can do absolutely ANYTHING if you are willing to work for it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing where this all takes me on the long road ahead! 🇦🇺”
Cody’s coach Brett Hawke weighed in on the Aussie’s efforts via his own account.
“We’ve been training only … in a country club pool for five months during the pandemic,” he wrote.
“He did his first set of training dives in a real pool two weeks ago. He qualified for the Australian Olympic trials in his first attempt.”
“Not bad for a pop star.”
Meanwhile, fans flocked to the comments section to congratulate the athlete, including legend Michael Phelps who has taken out 28 Olympic medals in total.
“Lfg!! Congrats mate,” he wrote.
Ian Thorpe also reacted to the news with a series of thumbs-up emojis.
The Olympic Games are currently scheduled to begin on July 23, 2021, after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
