“I saw my name: THOMAS, Petria. Saw my time, 57.72. Saw the number one next to them. I'd done it. Me! Petria Thomas, Olympic champion. The feeling inside was one of pure, utter joy. Excitement, disbelief, relief, hapiness, amazement, the whole works. Id worked so hard. I'd gone through so much, privately, publicly. I'd lost faith in myself and found it again. I'd sometimes stopped believing that I could do it and that I had a purpose in life. I'd come through the darkness, and this, this moment, was the sweetest, most amazing light there could possibly be. I was alive and loving it!”
Quote by Petria Thomas
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Petria Thomas
Petria Thomas (born August 25, 1975) is a former Australian swimmer specializing in freestyle and butterfly events. She won three gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, including the women's 4×100m freestyle relay, 4×100m medley relay, and 100m butterfly. She also earned two silver medals and one bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. With six Olympic medals and ten Commonwealth Games golds, Thomas is one of Australia's most successful female swimmers. Known for her resilience, she overcame multiple shoulder injuries to return to top form. After retiring, she became a sports commentator and charity worker, promoting swimming. more