Why Australian swimming great was moved to tears by a new tattoo in Glasgow

Glasgow: Tearing up over a tattoo is nothing new.

But for Australia’s Commonwealth Games chef de mission Petria Thomas, a visit to a “high-end” Glasgow tattoo parlour on Sunday was about far more than the sting of fresh ink.

The Olympian and 12-time Commonwealth Games medallist almost broke down in tears on the final day of competition as she revealed she was planning to commemorate Australia’s hugely successful 10-day campaign with a tattoo of the Commonwealth Sport emblem on her ankle.

It wasn’t the result of a lost bet or a promise linked to Australia’s medal haul. Rather, with 70 gold, 45 silver and 56 bronze medals banked, Thomas felt the Games deserved a permanent reminder.

A fierce advocate for the Commonwealth Games, Thomas said the tattoo would sit alongside the Olympic rings she had inked on the same ankle in Atlanta after competing at the 1996 Olympics.

Thomas won nine Commonwealth Games gold medals between 1994 and 2002 before finally breaking through for three Olympic gold medals in Athens in 2004, including an individual title in the 100-metre butterfly.

After Victoria pulled the pin on hosting the Games three years ago, there was no guarantee this edition would even take place. Seeing Glasgow step in and deliver a successful event, coupled with the logistical challenge of getting such a large Australian team to Scotland, proved emotional for Thomas.

“I’ve thought about [a tattoo] for a long time. The Commonwealth Games have played such a big part of my life, as big as the Olympics,” Thomas said. “I’ve got the Olympic rings on my ankle, so I thought why not get the Commonwealth Sport mark as well. I’ll wear it very proudly.

“Had this not been on, it would have left a huge hole in our sporting calendar. In my younger years, it was the launching pad for me.”

Asked what the Games meant to her, Thomas paused as she fought back tears.

“Sorry. It’s great to be here at these Games,” she said. “We didn’t know whether there would be a Games.”

When Glasgow last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, Australia failed to top the medal tally for the first time since 1986, prompting an internal review. England rode the momentum of a home Olympics in 2012 to claim 58 gold medals to Australia’s 49, and won the overall medal tally 174 to 137.

This time, the gap could hardly have been more different. Australia finished 41 gold medals ahead of England and 61 medals clear overall.

Any satisfaction in smashing England by so much?

“Well, there’s always a sense of satisfaction, right? We probably have exceeded expectations,” Thomas said.

“We did have lofty expectations. We made no secret of the fact we’d love to finish on top of the medal tally and we’ve been able to do that convincingly. It’s a credit to this team. Our athletes have done a magnificent job in their sports. I don’t want to go into highlights because I don’t want to miss any.”

Australia’s medal avalanche, however, has again fuelled debate over the competitiveness and relevance of the Commonwealth Games, with one reporter suggesting the Australians may have become “bullies” across a number of sports.

Thomas rejected the characterisation.

“We’re just good at our sport,” Thomas said. “There’s been a lot of investment in this team.

“Some may say that [the Commonwealth Games is losing relevance]. Obviously, we’ve been very, very successful and some teams may not have had full-strength teams. With an increased program in 2030 … and a bit more stability … I’m pretty confident that countries will be sending their best teams.”

Thomas would not be drawn on whether Australia should bid for the 2034 Commonwealth Games, which will follow the 2030 edition in India. But she made no secret of wanting the Games back in Australia one day.

“It’s not for me to suggest [to state governments they should bid for it] but of course we would love to have the Games back in Australia,” Thomas said. “We generally do a great job of hosting big events, and I’m sure our athletes would love to be competing on home soil again as soon as possible.”

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