Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Ariarne Titmus announced her retirement from competitive swimming effective immediately. In an interview posted to social media, the 25-year-old explains how she made the “tough” decision.
“I’ve always loved swimming,” the Olympian says in her video interview, “it’s been my passion since I was a little girl.” After taking time away due to a medical procedure, Titmus says she’s reprioritized her life. “Some things that have always been important to me are just a little bit more important to me now than swimming. And that’s okay.”
Decorated Australian Olympian
Titmus grew up in Tasmania and began competing for the Australian Olympic Team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which was postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19. It was there that she won her first two gold medals in the 400m and 200m freestyle races.
Three years later, in 2024, Titmus continued her golden winning streak. She helped the Australian team take the gold for the 4 x 200m women’s freestyle relay that year and also competed individually in “the race of the century.” It was in this 400m freestyle race that Titmus set a world record and defeated two previous world record holders — American Katie Ledecky and Canadian Summer McIntosh.
Prior to the Paris 2024 Olympics, Titmus underwent surgery to remove two benign tumors from her right ovary. She has not swam competitively since the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“I never thought that Paris would be my last Olympic Games,” Titmus says in her video interview, “but having these 12 months away, I’ve really had the chance to explore what life is like without swimming.” Titmus says her decision-making process began even before Paris. “I really went through some health challenges that rocked me mentally.”
The World Reacts
Since announcing her retirement on October 16, fans across the world have expressed their admiration for the four-time Olympic gold medalist. The Australian Olympic Team posted a carousel of photos to Instagram, praising Titmus and saying “once an Olympian, always an Olympian.”
Fellow Olympic swimmers like Great Britain’s James Guy and Rebecca Adlington also shared their congratulations to Titmus on an illustrious career. Australian singer turned swimmer Cody Simpson replied to Titmus’s announcement, saying “I’m so glad our paths crossed and I have been able to make a friend such as you on this journey.”
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