Two-time Olympic champion and world record holder Ariarne Titmus has announced her retirement from swimming at just 25.
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In a video shared on Instagram on Thursday night, Titmus said swimming was her passion since she was a little girl and had “always loved” it, but that time away from the sport had given her perspective.
“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,” she said.
Titmus said she had never planned for the Paris Olympics to be her last, but added, “Knowing what I know now, maybe I wish I had enjoyed that last race a little bit more.”
The caption to the post was a heartfelt letter to her seven-year-old self: “You achieved more than you ever thought you were capable of, and you should be so proud. You’ve just turned 25 and the time feels right to step away from swimming.”
Over her career, Titmus won four Olympic gold medals across the Tokyo and Paris Games and nine world championship medals. She also held the world record in the 400m freestyle, famously defeating American great Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer in history and the most decorated American woman in Olympic history.
“I feel so grateful to have been part of such an incredible rivalry,” Titmus said when speaking about her iconic rivalry with Ledecky.
“We both have so much respect for each other, and that will sit with me for the rest of my life.”
Fans and fellow athletes flooded the comments with messages of support, celebrating the legacy of a swimmer who redefined Australian dominance in the pool.
The Australian Dolphins Swim Team made a post on Instagram this morning, congratulating the swimmer, saying “Once a Dolphin, always a Dolphin.”
Titmus retires from swimming with world records in the 200m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay, as well as four Olympic gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal.
Lead image: Getty Images
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