Olympic swimmer Leisel Jones has admitted she felt 'no
sadness' after finding out her father had passed away as they were 'never
close.
The gold medalist shared a candid Instagram post on Monday
revealing she had not spoken to father Les Jones for 17 years and uploaded 'one
of the only photos she has' of the pair.
Jones also used the post to urge other fathers to be strong
male figures to their daughters in particular and 'accept them for who they
are.
'Today my father passed away. If you have read Body Lengths,
you would know we were never close,' Jones wrote in the post on Monday.
I haven't spoken to him in 17 years but I don't feel any
anger or sadness.
If you are a Dad, please give your kids a big hug and
accept them for who they are.
Little girls in particular need a strong male figure in
their life that have their back and can teach them things in life that only a
dad can.
In 2008, Jones' father was diagnosed with cancer and as a
result, publicly reached out to his daughter to end their eight-year rift, The
Sydney Morning Herald reported.
'Don't let this go too far' because I don't know how much
time I have left. I don't want her to feel sorry for me,' he said.
She will either bump me or make amends. She needs to speed
up the procedure before it is too late.
The swimmer, who successfully claimed nine Olympic medals
across four separate Games, opened up about her private battle with depression
in 2004.
She released a memoir last year called Body Lengths,
detailing the overwhelming pressure and constant taunting she endured during
her career.
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