Australia’s Ariarne Titmus poses with her gold medal after winning the women’s 400-meter freestyle final at the 2024 Summer Olympics. (AP File Photo) Australian swimming champion Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, announced her immediate retirement from competitive swimming in Sydney on Thursday. The 25-year-old made the decision during the extended break after the Paris Olympics, despite previous plans to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.Titmus, known as “The Terminator”, achieved remarkable success by winning the 400m freestyle titles at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, defeating American champion Katie Ledecky in what was considered the “race of the century”.She made history by becoming the first Australian swimmer since Dawn Fraser in 1964 to win back-to-back gold medals in the same Olympic event.
Ariarne Titmus announced her shock retirement in an Instagram post. (Instagram)
“Tough, really tough, but one I’m really happy with,” Titmus said on Instagram. “I’ve always loved swimming, it’s been a passion of mine since I was little. But I guess I took this time away from the sport and realized that some things in life that have always been important to me are just a little bit more important to me now than swimming, and that’s okay.”Her retirement announcement drew reactions from other athletes. Katie Ledecky commented: “Outstanding competitor, champion and personality! Congratulations @ariarnetitmus,” while Summer McIntosh added: “You will be missed.”Before the Olympics in Paris, Titmus faced health problems, he underwent surgery to remove a benign ovarian tumor.“There was a time when it switched for me, it was in the lead up to the Paris Games. I went through some health issues that, to be honest, really shook me up mentally,” she said. “It was probably the first time I considered some things outside of swimming. My whole swimming career I was all or nothing, and that’s the way I had to be to become the athlete that I am.”“I always wanted to come back,” Titmus added. “I never thought Paris would be my last Olympics. And knowing what I know now, I wish I’d enjoyed that last race a little more.”Titmus ends his career with an impressive collection of 33 international medals, including eight Olympic medals, nine World Championship medals and eight Commonwealth Games medals.Her retirement drew praise from Australian teammates. Five-time Olympic gold medalist Kaylee McKeown said: “You guys are incredible. It’s an honor to witness a living legend of the sport.”Olympic 200m freestyle champion Mollie O’Callaghan expressed her gratitude for training alongside Titmus, while sprint champion Kyle Chalmers added: “I’m so proud of you. You’re a legend in and out of the pool.”Although Canada’s Summer McIntosh recently broke her 400m world record, Titmus still holds the record as the fastest woman ever in the 200m.
