Ariarne Titmus’ father has revealed the moment he thinks signalled the end of the Aussie’s glittering career at the Paris Olympics after the swimmer announced her shock retirement. Titmus rocked the the swimming world having announced her retirement from the sport at 25 years old.
The eight-time Olympic medallist will go down as one of the nation’s greatest ever athletes, but hadn’t swum competitively since the Paris Olympics. And Titmus revealed her time out of the pool convinced her to pursue other endeavours.
Ariarne Titmus’ father (pictured right) has revealed the moment at the Paris Olympics he looks back on that could have unknowingly signalled the end of the 25-year-old’s career. (Images: Getty Images)
And while Titmus only recently told her father about her decision to step away from the sport, Steve Titmus revealed there was a moment after her final race against rival Katie Ledecky that stands out to him. Titmus competed in the final race of her career in the 800m freestyle against American legend Ledecky in Paris.
She finished second and Titmus herself admitted she didn’t fully recognise at the time it was her final race. Although Steve revealed after the event his daughter got to the top of the arena and had a special moment.
Ariarne Titmus (pictured) swam her last race at the Paris Olympics.
Titmus surveyed the pool and crowd in Paris in a rare moment, before disappearing with the other athletes. And Steve revealed this image resonates with him as the moment Titmus unknowingly said goodbye to swimming.
“After she swam the 800m at the Paris Olympics, at the pool in Paris, the swimmers had to walk up a stairwell and around the back of the grandstand. Arnie walked to the top of that, and she turned around and actually looked around at the pool,” Steve said on Friday on SEN Radio.
“I remember seeing her doing that, and I thought to myself what a moment that was. I think back to that actual moment and think that was a really special moment. Now looking, now she has retired, was that the universe saying, ‘she was looking back knowing it was her final Olympic moment.'”
Ariarne Titmus celebrates with friends and family following the women’s 400m freestyle final.
Steve was asked if he knew in that moment Titmus may never compete again. And while he didn’t think it at the time the moment now stands out since Ariarne told the family she would be retiring from the sport.
“I remember seeing the moment…I didn’t really think a lot of it at the time. And I haven’t thought about it much since until recently when Arnie came to us…that’s when I remembered back to that moment,” he added. “I always thought to myself, if only I had that photograph. Looking back on it now, I really think to myself that perhaps if Arnie had of spoken to us prior to Paris and said ‘I reckon I might retire after the Paris Olympics’, if she had of said that I know that moment would have really sunk in.”
Ariarne Titmus admits regret at Paris Olympics
In her retirement announcement, Titmus revealed she never expected to retire so young with many expecting her to take part in the next Olympics. But And the decision prompted her to reflect and suggest she wishes she had enjoyed her final race at the Paris Olympics.
“I always intended to return. I never thought Paris would be my last Olympic Games. Knowing what I know now, maybe I wish I had enjoyed that last race a little bit more,” she added. Titmus finished second to great rival Ledecky in the 800m freestyle in her final ever race.
Rivals send special tributes to Ariarne Titmus
Titmus’ shock announcement has rattled the sport with tributes flooding in for the eight-time Olympic medallist. Her greatest rival, American Ledecky was quick to praise the Aussie for spirit in and out of the pool. “An outstanding competitor, champion and person,” Ledecky wrote.
Titmus’ latest rival before her retirement, Canadian Summer McIntosh, said swimming would miss the Aussie superstar. “Congratulations on an incredible career and all the very best in your next chapter. You will be missed,” she wrote on Instagram.
Ariarne Titmus’ (pictured middle) greatest rivals have all paid tribute to her after announcing her retirement.