Confronting Fear: How the Perception of a ‘Trap’ Pushed Ariarne Titmus to Embrace Time Away

Ariarne Titmus has revealed that she once felt “scared” to step away from competitive swimming. However, she is now pleased with her choice to take a break after the Paris 2024 Olympics—in order to enjoy quality time with loved ones and to explore life beyond the swimming pool.

After successfully defending her Olympic 400m freestyle title and leading Australia to victory in the 4x200m relay, Titmus is currently relishing a 12-month sabbatical.

During this time, she has been engaging in motivational speaking, dipping her toes into TV broadcasting with Nine—serving as a colour commentator at the Australian Open—and fulfilling her sponsorship obligations.

Much like her swimming speed picking up in the final laps of a race, her frequent flyer points have soared.

“As I approached Paris, I expressed to Dean [Boxall, her coach] and Rohan Taylor, the head coach of Swimming Australia, that I needed approximately 12 months away from the pool,” Titmus stated during an interview on SEN radio.

“I’ve been on a relentless path since I made the senior national team at just 16. Once I achieved some success, it was a continuous effort to improve year on year. You end up caught in a cycle, and it becomes daunting to take a breather for fear of losing your form.”

“I really needed some time to focus on myself and to genuinely explore who I am outside of swimming,” she explained.

“I doubt I could have made this decision had I not won Olympic gold and fulfilled all my aspirations.

“I wanted to invest time in my family and friends, and I never want to find myself in a position where I retire without a clear idea of what I want to do next. I wanted to take time to pursue opportunities outside of swimming, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Since leaving Paris, Titmus estimates she has only been for five swims.

The 24-year-old from Launceston plans to get back into training “in the next few months,” but she won’t be joining the Dolphins for the world championships in Singapore this September.

“I do miss the routine,” she confessed.

“Right now, my life feels a bit scattered—going from one place to another—which has been enjoyable in some ways. However, there’s a comfort in the structure that comes with being an athlete.”

The idea of getting back to training makes her shudder slightly.

“I don’t really want to contemplate just how tough it’s going to be,” Titmus chuckled.

“To put it mildly, when I jump back into the pool on a Monday morning after having the weekend off, I feel a bit off. So, I anticipate it’ll take a while to regain that familiar rhythm after 12 months.”