Four-time Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Ariarne Titmus has announced her retirement from competitive swimming at just 25, saying she is ready to begin a new chapter beyond the pool.
In an emotional video posted to Instagram, Titmus said she had made the difficult decision to step away from the sport that has defined her life since childhood.
“I am here to announce that I’ve made the decision to retire from competitive swimming,” she said.
“A tough one, a really tough one, but one that I’m really happy with.
“I’ve always loved swimming. It’s been my passion since I was a little girl. But I guess I’ve taken this time away from the sport and realised some things in my life that have always been important to me are just a little bit more important to me now than swimming and that’s OK. Here we are.”
Titmus, who has not competed since the Paris Olympics, said she initially planned to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games but realised during her year away that she was ready to move on.
“I always intended to return. I never thought Paris would be my last Olympic Games. Knowing what I know now, maybe I wish I had enjoyed that last race a little bit more,” she said.
“I guess in this 12 months I’ve been able to explore what life is like outside of swimming.”
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Titmus captured her third individual Olympic gold medal in what was dubbed “the race of the century” – a 400m freestyle final against her long-time rival Katie Ledecky and rising Canadian star Summer McIntosh.
Her performance came just months after she underwent surgery to remove a tumour from her ovary, an experience she described as a turning point.
“A turning point for me, or a time when a switch was flicked, was in the lead-up to the Paris Games,” Titmus said.
“I went through some health challenges which quite frankly really rocked me mentally.
“It probably was the first time where I considered some things outside of swimming. My whole swimming career I have been all or nothing. That’s how I’ve had to be to become the athlete that I am. I’ve just been in this ruthless pursuit of my goals.
“But delving more into those health challenges, I’ve really had to look within and think about what’s most important to me. Beyond swimming I’ve always had goals in my personal life, but swimming has always been most important up until this point, and I’ve just realised that those goals and what I want in my future is more important to me.”
Titmus said she was “excited for what’s next”, describing her retirement as “hitting the restart button at 25 years old.”
“I don’t regret any of it but I now have the chance to live a different life, which I’m really excited for,” she said.
Born in Tasmania, Titmus began swimming competitively at age seven, with her family relocating to Queensland when she was 14 so she could pursue elite training.
She went on to win 33 international medals – including eight Olympic medals (four gold, three silver and one bronze), nine world championship medals and eight Commonwealth Games medals – and currently holds the 200m freestyle world record.
“Going into Tokyo I was deemed the underdog, but I knew in myself I could win and to come from behind and win in Tokyo against the GOAT (Katie Ledecky), that feeling will sit with me forever,” she said.
“There’s nothing like your first one and to achieve your lifelong goal in an instant is something that’s hard to explain. To win Olympic Gold I didn’t have to be the best in the world I had to beat the greatest ever in the world.
“Without facing Katie I wouldn’t have been the athlete that I am.”
Reflecting on her journey, Titmus said the time away from the sport had given her perspective and peace.
“I’ve taken this time away from the sport and realised some things in my life that have always been important to me and just a little bit more important to me now than swimming and that’s okay,” she said.
“I’m excited for what’s next, I’m excited that I now have this opportunity to really delve into life and other things that I’m wanting to chase.”
Titmus retires as one of Australia’s most decorated swimmers and a defining figure of her generation – a champion who conquered the pool, her rivals, and the limits she once set for herself.
Images: Instagram
