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Australian Olympian Cate Campbell to have surgery: report

Swimmer Cate Campbell will reportedly undergo surgery for a hernia when she returns to Australia from her disappointing Olympic games campaign.

News Corp reported that the 100m world champion developed a hernia three months ago, but is refusing to blame it for her Rio results.

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Campbell came away with a gold in the women's 4x100m relay, and silver in the medley relay, but failed to score an individual medal, despite having gone into her 50m and 100m freestyle finals as the fastest competitor.

After coming fifth in the 50m freestyle final, Campbell said: "It wasn't my best. It's fair to say that this week hasn't been my best".

"I think the world got to witness possibly the greatest choke in Olympic history a couple of nights ago. I nearly needed someone to come and give me the Heimlich manoeuvre to help me out there."

Her coach, Simon Cusack, said it had not been possible for Campbell to have surgery before the Games because it would have disrupted her preparation.

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Instead she swam through the pain of the hernia and will reportedly have surgery in October, after her post-Olympics holiday.

It will be her second hernia operation in 12 months.

Cate Campbell.
Cate Campbell. Photo: Getty Images

Meanwhile, Australian swimmers Madison WIlson and Bronte Barratt have been hospitalised in Rio with separate bouts of illness. 

Backstroker Madison Wilson complained of abdominal pains and was taken to an Olympic hospital in Rio on Sunday with suspicions she may have appendicitis. 

Meanwhile, the wet and wild conditions at the Closing Ceremony, which was buffeted by chilly winds and rain, took their toll on Bronte Barratt, who has also been sent to hospital after contracting pneumonia.

Both swimmers were expected to miss the team's charter flight home on Monday afternoon, local time. Both are being accompanied in Rio by a Swimming Australia staff member. 

AAP, Fairfax Media