Geoff Huegill: 'I missed my daughter's birth'

Geoff Huegill has revealed that he missed his daughter's birth.

The Australian swimming champion said that he was devastated to miss wife Sara give birth to Mila last month. He was at a training camp preparing for this summer's Olympic Games when he learnt that Sara had gone into labour.

Huegill told New Idea magazine: "I missed the birth! I was... in Perth and due home in Sydney that evening. It was our final day and I'd committed to guest speak - I didn't want to let them down. And Sara by all accounts seemed to be on track for her due date almost a week later."

The sports star said that he tried to get home as quickly as possible but everything went "pear-shaped" when the airport was hit by "freak storms" and he was left stranded. His wife went into labour that night with her mother for support, and described the experience as "very special".

Huegill admitted that any disappointment he felt disappeared when he met Mila for the first time.

"That soon went away when I saw my girls," he explained. "Let's just say there was a lot of love and a lot of tears in that room that night."

Although Huegill added that fatherhood "changes your priorities", he said that he is currently "sleeping in a guest room" so that he can wake up early to train for the Olympics.

He said: "Let's just say I might have missed the birth but I'm now more determined than ever that, for my girls, I'm not missing the chance to represent my country again."

> Geoff Huegill: 'Fatherhood is better than swimming'
> Geoff Huegill: 'I'm lucky to have Sara'