There was not a dry eye in the house.

A capacity crowd at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre saw the end of an era as Cate Campbell bowed out after a stunning career.

The ending may have been one of disappointment — heartbreak, even — as Campbell failed in her ambitious bid to reach a fifth Olympic Games, 16 years after she burst onto the scene in Beijing as a 16-year-old.

“I had hoped for the fairytale ending, and it’s what I had worked for and what I felt I was capable of,” a tearful Campbell said.

“And unfortunately, my body just said no.”

Campbell endured the traumatic experience of failing to qualify for the 100 metres final on Friday, leaving the pool with her dreams of competing at the Paris Games hanging by a thread.

That thread was tugged by qualifying for the 50 metres freestyle on Saturday morning.

But sadly, it was not to be, as Campbell finished in seventh spot.

“This is the end, and it’s a perfect way to exit the pool,” Campbell said through tears.

“My first major competition was in this swimming pool, maybe over 20 years ago … I warmed up in this pool just behind us for the first time as a nine-year-old.

“And tonight I warmed up in it as a 32-year-old.

“I got to walk out and swim in a swimming pool that I’ve competed in so many times, that I’ve qualified for teams in, that I’ve broken world records in. 

“I looked up at the stand at the spot where my dad used to buy every newspaper under the sun because he had a swimming carnival to sit through for two days.

“This place and this sport has embedded itself so deeply into me that I just feel really, really privileged that, if it was going to end, it was going to end this way in front of this crowd and the people who I love.”

Campbell ends her career as one of the greatest Australian swimmers of all time.

The 32-year-old has won 37 major international medals — 23 of them gold.

A fierce competitor that always bought her best to relay swims, Campbell has excelled as a mentor and role model for countless swimmers.

That was evident in the way her competitors crowded her in the pool at the conclusion of the race.

In scenes that will linger long in the memory of everyone who saw them, each woman paid homage to the doyen of Australian women’s sprinting one last time, with tears flowing freely.

“You know, Cate has really set up this for a lot of us women,” Mollie Callaghan said.

“She set the standards, and she’s one of the most inspirational women, in and out of the water.”

Emma McKeon said it was an “emotional moment” when everyone crowded around her.

“Just sharing that with Cate and, like, she’s inspired all of us,” she said.

“She’s been at the top of the sprint freestyle game for like, I don’t even know how long, like longer than I’ve been swimming, probably.

“She’s inspired all of us and she’s brought sprint freestyle nationally and internationally to that level.”

Campbell herself couldn’t believe the reaction of her competitors.

“I wouldn’t [begrudge] anyone for only looking at results, but the fact that there were two girls who qualified for an Olympic Games — which is no mean feat, one of them for her first individual squad, Meg Harris — that they put their celebrations on hold and and came over, it was one of the most incredible moments and something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

Campbell looked up at the stands and waved as she walked out onto the pool deck.

After she finished her TV commitments, she waved again, blowing kisses to the crowd.

“I started in this sport because I was a a little girl who loved swimming,” Campbell said, looking up at the stands with tears glistening in her eyes.

“I did, I loved it more than anything else.