‘One of the greatest’: Titmus shocks with career call

Melissa Woods and Murray Wenzel | October 16, 2025

Ariarne Titmus has retired on her owns terms and with the blessing of the national body as one of swimming’s greatest middle-distance stars.

The four-time Olympic champion made the shock call on Thursday, saying the seed was sown by her cancer scare before the Paris Games.

The 25-year-old, who grew up in Tasmania and is based in Brisbane, beat Katie Ledecky to defend her 400m gold at last year’s Paris Olympics and still holds the 200m world record.

“It’s a tough one, but one that I’m really happy with,” Titmus said in an Instagram video post.

“I’ve always loved swimming … 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.”

Before the Paris Olympics, Titmus underwent surgery to remove two benign tumours after a large growth was found on her right ovary.

“A turning point for me, or a time when a switch was flicked, was in the lead-up to the Paris Games, I went through some health challenges, which quite frankly really rocked me mentally,” she said.

“It probably was the first time where I considered some things outside of swimming.

“Delving more into those health challenges, I’ve really had to look within and think about what’s most important to me, and beyond swimming I’ve always had goals in my personal life.”

In Paris last year Titmus achieved a historic third individual Olympic gold medal.

She won the 400m freestyle in what was dubbed “the race of the century” by defeating the event’s other two previous world record-holders – American all-time great Ledecky and Canadian swimming prodigy Summer McIntosh.

Both rivals paid tribute to Titmus on social media following her announcement on Thursday.

“Arnie is definitely one of the best distance swimmers to have ever come into the sport, across any gender, any time,” Cam McEvoy said of Titmus at Thursday’s launch of Australia versus The World in Brisbane on December 12.

McEvoy ignored the temptation to retire before reinventing his training program and securing 50m freestyle gold as a 30-year-old at a record fourth Olympics last year.

“I knew it was coming, but post-Paris I was surprised,” he said of the Titmus decision.

“I understand where she’s at and myself, after Tokyo 2021, I was almost in that position.

“Incredible woman. Personally I wish she could have kept swimming longer, but there’s a lot more context to everyone’s story, and when it’s time to move on, it’s time to move on.”

Dolphins high-performance coach Damien Jones said there was no attempt to walk Titmus back from her decision.

“She deserves to retire on her own terms; she’s done more than enough for this sport, left a fantastic legacy,” he said.

“One of the greatest female middle-distance swimmers ever … it’s very difficult to do what’s she’s done in the sport over two Olympics.

“It is a bit of a loss, but she leaves a legacy for the next … with (Brisbane) 2032 coming along she’s left us in a good position.”

Titmus credited Ledecky with pushing her to become a champion athlete, naming her 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when she edged the 400m world record-holder, as her greatest achievement.

“There’s nothing like the first; Tokyo going in as what was deemed the underdog, but I knew in myself I could win, and to come from behind and win in Tokyo against the GOAT, that feeling will sit with me forever,” she said.

“To win Olympic gold, I didn’t just have to beat the best in the world, I had to beat the greatest ever in the world.

“I absolutely looked at it as a blessing because I can say without a doubt, without facing Katie, I wouldn’t have been the athlete that I am.”

Titmus, named Tasmania’s 2025 Young Australian of the Year, finishes with a staggering haul of 33 international medals, including eight Olympic medals (four gold, three silver, one bronze) and four world titles.

She said she is hoping to work more in broadcasting and public speaking, as well as giving back to swimming, particularly working with young athletes from regional areas.