Swimming World Report Holder Ariarne Titmus Retires At Age 25

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 12: Ariarne Titmus of Queensland celebrates profitable the Women’s 200m Freestyle Final in a brand new world file time of 1:52.23 through the 2024 Australian Swimming Trials at Brisbane Aquatic Centre on June 12, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus has introduced her retirement on the age of 25. Titmus is a present world file holder and four-time Olympic champion, making her resolution to retire stunning to the swimming neighborhood.

Titmus has been competing in swimming for 18 years. In 2015, on the age of 14, she and her household moved from Tasmania to Queensland, Australia. Soon after, she started coaching beneath coach Dean Boxall, who had beforehand coached Olympic gold medalists Stephanie Rice and Leisel Jones.

Titmus made history by becoming the first swimmer to defeat Katie Ledecky in the 400 freestyle at a major international competition, claiming victory on the 2019 World Championships. At that time, Ledecky had been undefeated within the occasion for six years. Ledecky is at present probably the most embellished feminine swimmer of all time and probably the most embellished American lady in Olympic historical past.

Titmus represented Australia at each the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympic Games throughout her profession. She secured her first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, defeating then-world file holder Ledecky within the 400 freestyle with a time of three:56.69, profitable by lower than a second. Titmus’s time was the second-fastest in historical past. She additionally captured gold within the 200 freestyle, setting a brand new Olympic file with a time of 1:53.50.

In the 800 freestyle closing in Tokyo, Titmus earned silver with a time of 8:13.83, ending simply behind Ledecky’s 8:12.57. She additionally helped Australia win bronze within the 800 freestyle relay, with the workforce ending in 7:41.29.

Following the Tokyo Games, Titmus continued her dominance. In 2023, she was a part of Australia’s 800 freestyle relay squad that broke the world file with a time of seven:37.50 on the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. At the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials, she broke the world file within the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.23. Both information nonetheless stand.

Titmus confronted well being challenges within the lead-up to the Paris Games. Eight months earlier than the competitors, she underwent surgical procedure to take away benign tumors from her ovary. Despite this, she persevered in Paris, the place she gained two gold medals.

Titmus efficiently defended her 400 freestyle title, ending forward of Canada’s Summer McIntosh (3:58.37) and Ledecky (4:00.86) with a profitable time of three:57.49. By defending her title, she became the first Australian female swimmer since Dawn Fraser in 1964 to claim back-to-back Olympic golds in the same event. She additionally helped Australia win gold within the 800 freestyle relay and earned silver medals in each the 200 freestyle (1:53.81) and the 800 freestyle (8:12.29).

In whole, Titmus retires with 32 worldwide medals, together with eight Olympic medals. She has additionally obtained a number of honors, together with the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2022, in recognition of her achievements in swimming.

Titmus announced her retirement on Instagram in a reflective publish written as a letter to her seven-year-old self, expressing pleasure about pursuing new targets. Part of the publish said:

“You’ve simply turned 25 and the time feels proper to step away from swimming. The pursuit was unrelenting and also you gave it each skerrick of your self. You stroll away figuring out each stone was turned, no regrets. You’re fulfilled, content material and completely satisfied.”