“I Aimed to Make Him Proud”: Shayna Jack Reflects on Her Beloved Dog’s Passing During Trials

ADELAIDE: Shayna Jack struggled to hold back tears during the Australian swimming trials on Friday night as she spoke about the recent loss of her cherished dog, Hugo, expressing feelings of “regret” and “guilt”.

Hugo, along with her other pet Willa, was a constant companion at home as she faced dark thoughts amid her turbulent history with a drug scandal.

In the unwavering company of her dogs, she committed to pushing forward.

Uninvited, Jack shared her grief about Hugo with reporters after competing in the women’s 100-metre freestyle final.

The 26-year-old secured eighth place in the two-lap event, meaning she will not participate as an individual swimmer in the 100m freestyle at the upcoming world championships in Singapore, nor be part of the 100m freestyle relay team.

There’s still a chance for her to qualify for the 50m freestyle on Saturday, the final day of the trials. However, she acknowledged that her preparation has been less than ideal due to her recent participation in the reality series I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! and the limited training time she managed to squeeze in prior to the event.

Jack returned from the jungle to heartbreaking news: her “gentle giant”, an 85-kilogram Great Dane, was diagnosed with cancer and had to be put to sleep.

When asked about her performance after the 100m race, Jack seemed surprisingly upbeat, sharing that, considering her lack of preparation, posting a time of 53.79 seconds during her heat in the morning was a “shock”.

She admitted she simply aimed to enjoy herself at the trials but soon gravitated towards expressing her feelings about Hugo.

“When I found out I was losing my dog, it took a huge mental toll on me and made it really challenging to show up each day,” Jack said, choking back tears.

Watch the 2025 Australian swimming trials live and free on Nine and 9Now, taking place from June 9-14.

“When I returned from the jungle, I had two weeks with him. There was definitely a bit of regret about whether I did everything for him,” Jack reflected. “I felt a lot of guilt. I’m someone who feels things deeply, and after losing him, I found myself reflecting a lot, wondering, ‘Did I do right by him, often choosing my swimming and career over spending time with him?'”

Jack adopted Hugo in 2019 after returning from a training camp in Japan, receiving devastating news just before she was meant to depart for the world championships in South Korea.

Initially banned for four years due to her drug case, that penalty was later shortened to two years as it was determined she had unknowingly taken the substance Ligandrol.

“Hugo was a massive part of my return to sport, and losing him set me back significantly,” Jack reflected. “He helped me through everything, so I wanted to honour him by showing up at the trials.”

She felt as though Hugo was with her during her event on Friday.

“I know he’d be proud of me today for getting out there, doing my job, and enjoying it,” she added. “I approached the race with a smile, and I finished it with a smile.”

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