Swimming World Record Holder Ariarne Titmus Retires At Age 25

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus has announced her retirement at the age of 25. Titmus is a current world record holder and four-time Olympic champion, making her decision to retire surprising to the swimming community.

Titmus has been competing in swimming for 18 years. In 2015, at the age of 14, she and her family moved from Tasmania to Queensland, Australia. Soon after, she began training under coach Dean Boxall, who had previously 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 at the 2019 World Championships. At that point, Ledecky had been undefeated in the event for six years. Ledecky is currently the most decorated female swimmer of all time and the most decorated American woman in Olympic history.

Titmus represented Australia at both the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympic Games during her career. She secured her first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, defeating then-world record holder Ledecky in the 400 freestyle with a time of 3:56.69, winning by less than a second. Titmus’s time was the second-fastest in history. She also captured gold in the 200 freestyle, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 1:53.50.

In the 800 freestyle final in Tokyo, Titmus earned silver with a time of 8:13.83, finishing just behind Ledecky’s 8:12.57. She also helped Australia win bronze in the 800 freestyle relay, with the team finishing in 7:41.29.

Following the Tokyo Games, Titmus continued her dominance. In 2023, she was part of Australia’s 800 freestyle relay squad that broke the world record with a time of 7:37.50 at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. At the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials, she broke the world record in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.23. Both records still stand.

Titmus faced health challenges in the lead-up to the Paris Games. Eight months before the competition, she underwent surgery to remove benign tumors from her ovary. Despite this, she persevered in Paris, where she won two gold medals.

Titmus successfully defended her 400 freestyle title, finishing ahead of Canada’s Summer McIntosh (3:58.37) and Ledecky (4:00.86) with a winning time of 3:57.49. 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 also helped Australia win gold in the 800 freestyle relay and earned silver medals in both the 200 freestyle (1:53.81) and the 800 freestyle (8:12.29).

In total, Titmus retires with 32 international medals, including eight Olympic medals. She has also received several honors, including 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 post written as a letter to her seven-year-old self, expressing excitement about pursuing new goals. A part of the post stated:

“You’ve just turned 25 and the time feels right to step away from swimming. 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.”