Four-time Olympic champion Titmus retires at 25

Four-time Australian Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus has announced she is retiring from swimming at the age of 25, saying “the time feels right to step away”.

“It’s a tough one [decision] but one that I’m really happy with”, she said on Instagram on Thursday, adding: “I’ve always loved swimming, it’s been my passion since I was a little girl.”

She took a break after last year’s Paris Olympics 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”.

A two-time Olympic champion in the 400m freestyle, she triumphed in Tokyo in 2021 and in Paris last year. She also won 200m freestyle gold in Tokyo and was part of the Australia team that won the 4x200m freestyle relay in Paris.

Before the Paris Games, Titmus underwent surgery to remove an ovarian tumour, which she referred to in Thursday’s announcement, saying she had faced health challenges which “really rocked me mentally”.

After 18 years of swimming, and having just turned 25, “the time feels right to step away from swimming”, she wrote in a letter to her seven-year-old self that she shared on Instagram.

“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.”

American swimmer Katie Ledecky – a rival of Titmus and who the Australian beat to win the 400m freestyle gold in Paris – responded to the announcement, saying Titmus was an “outstanding competitor, champion and person”.