Australian Olympian Tilly Kearns Says Sydney Sweeney Ad Undermines Female Athletes

Australian Olympic water polo player Tilly Kearns says a recent Sydney Sweeney advertisement undermines female athletes' efforts to be respected for their skills, perpetuating harmful body objectification she has faced throughout her career. Kearns, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, criticized the 58-second ad for reinforcing misogyny in sports and using women's bodies to attract male attention. She expressed disappointment that such messaging normalizes sexual comments and could discourage young girls from participating in athletics. The 25-year-old's social media response drew backlash from strangers accusing her of jealousy, though she clarified her critique targets the ad's creative decision, not Sweeney. Kearns emphasized the importance of grassroots conversations to combat the sexualization of female athletes.