4-time Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus retires from swimming aged 25

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus has introduced her retirement from swimming on the age of 25.

Titmus, a world report holder within the 200m freestyle, gained 4 Olympic gold medals throughout her profession, together with two in Paris final summer time, which got here after present process surgical procedure to take away an ovarian tumour in August 2023.

She introduced after the Games that she could be taking an “extended break” from the game and had not competed since.

Titmus described her resolution to retire as “a tough one, a really tough one, but one I’m really happy with.”

“I love swimming, I’ve always loved swimming,” she mentioned in a put up on Instagram. “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 that have always been important to me are just a little bit more important to me now than swimming.”

She added that her “health challenges” had “really rocked me mentally.”

In the caption of the put up, Titmus addressed a message to her seven-year-old self.

“You’ve just turned 25 and the time feels right to step away from swimming,” she wrote. “The pursuit was unrelenting and you gave it every skerrick of yourself. You walk away knowing every stone was turned, no regrets. You’re fulfilled, content and happy.

“What’s ahead of you is exciting. New goals, more time with the people you love most and the chance to wholeheartedly put yourself, not your sport, first.”

Born on the Australian island state of Tasmania, Titmus gained 32 medals throughout her profession. She is a six-time world champion and a seven-time Commonwealth champion.

Titmus gained her first Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 within the 400m freestyle and adopted it up with one other win within the 200m freestyle. She took silver within the 800m freestyle and was a part of the Australian crew that claimed bronze within the 4 × 200 metre girls’s freestyle relay.

In Paris final yr, she as soon as once more gained the 400m occasion and helped Australia to gold within the relay, whereas taking silver within the 200 and 800m.

Titmus additionally praised American nine-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky, who she defeated in Tokyo to win her first gold, in her announcement, describing her as “the greatest ever in the world.”

“Without racing Katie, I wouldn’t have been the athlete that I am, she set this incredible standard and I was just so willing to chase it.

“I just feel so grateful that I’ve been part of such an incredible rivalry.”