Olympic Gold Medalist Ariarne Titmus Announces Retirement at Age 25

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Ariarne Titmus is ready to swim into a new era.

The four-time Olympic champion surprised many by announcing her retirement from swimming on October 15th, ending her career at the young age of 25.

In a letter shared on Instagram to her younger self, she wrote about retiring from competitive swimming. She reflected on 18 years spent training and competing in the pool, including 10 years representing her country. She celebrated having competed in two Olympic Games and, even more impressively, winning a medal!

The Australian athlete, a world-record holder in the women’s 200 and 400-meter freestyle, said her dreams had come true, and thanked her parents and sister for their unwavering support.

Your parents noticed your potential and gave up everything to relocate for you,” she went on. “You wouldn’t be where you are today without their support, and without Mia.”

In a new video, Ariarne explained how she made her decision, sharing that she had a key moment of realization while training for the 2024 Olympics.

Before the Paris Games, I faced some health issues that were really tough on me emotionally,” she said. “It was the first time I started thinking about things beyond just swimming.

And since then, her outlook on her future had begun to shift.

After taking some time off from swimming, she realized that certain things in her life—things that have always mattered to her—are now her top priority, and she’s comfortable with that.

Ariarne suggested she’s considering a future in broadcasting and also wants to mentor up-and-coming athletes, helping them achieve their goals.

She felt like she was getting a fresh start on life at age 25. While she’s had to rethink what she wants to achieve, she’s grateful to have interests and ambitions beyond just swimming.

As Ariarne Titmus plans her future, discover other athletes who are pursuing careers beyond sports.

Swimmer Nic Fink competed in the Tokyo Olympics and then earned a master’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Georgia Tech in December 2022. He then began his career at Quanta Utility Engineering.

Being able to work remotely from Dallas was a huge help, and allowed the soon-to-be father – along with his wife, Olympic swimmer Melanie Margalis Fink – to attend the competition in Paris, where he achieved his first podium finish.

After winning silver in the 100-meter breaststroke, Nic explained to ESPN that he was looking ahead to new challenges while still committed to swimming. He believes having a job outside of athletics helps him manage the pressures and focus on each aspect of his life.

Okay, seriously, Gabby Thomas is just… incredible. Not only is she potentially one of the fastest women *ever*, but she’s also working to help save the planet! It’s like, she’s a superhero – a sprinting, world-saving superhero, and I’m completely obsessed with everything she does!

A Harvard graduate with master’s degrees in public health and epidemiology from the University of Texas, she volunteers at a clinic for people without insurance in Austin and is now a top contender – and the gold medal favorite – to compete in the 200 meters at the 2024 Olympics.

Even while running track at Harvard, Gabby didn’t think it would be her long-term career. After qualifying for the Paris Olympics, she explained to TopMob News that making the team isn’t automatic. ‘Track wasn’t a guaranteed path for me,’ said Gabby, who won a bronze medal in the 200m and a silver in the 4x100m relay at the Tokyo Games. ‘There’s no certainty you’ll make the Olympic team.’

Eventually, she realized she didn’t have to choose between her passions. She’d always been able to pursue everything she wanted, so she decided to do just that – embrace it all!

Canyon Barry, who has degrees in physics and nuclear engineering, is a systems engineer at L3 Harris Technologies, a company that works with defense and space technology. He recently made his first appearance with the U.S. 3×3 basketball team in Paris, and everything went smoothly.

For Canyon Barry, son of NBA legend Rick Barry, it’s important to have a career he loves, something that gives him a sense of self beyond basketball. He told the Associated Press that he wants to have something fulfilling to turn to after his playing days are over, a job he can enjoy for the rest of his life.

He said his biggest wish is to return to the office with a gold medal, letting everyone experience it and take photos with it.

Morelle McCane has worked a variety of jobs – everything from entertaining at birthday parties to supervising daycare and working in mailrooms – since she was 17, all to support her goal of becoming an Olympic boxer. In 2024, she made history as the first female boxer from Cleveland to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Sometimes you just need to take whatever work you can find right now,” Morelle, 29, explained to the *Houston Chronicle*. “Better jobs usually require a long-term commitment, so it’s important to find something that provides income quickly and consistently.”

And her plan was always Paris.

The welterweight boxer, competing at 66kg, explained to USA Boxing that stepping into the ring is when he truly comes alive. He gives everything he has – including his personality – which makes the experience more enjoyable. He believes having fun is key to performing his best, allowing him to be intense, focused, and relaxed all at once.

Zachery Schubert, a beach volleyball player, has a unique side hustle: he runs Schubugs Cricket Farm, an insect farm on his family’s land in Australia. He even eats the crickets himself as a healthy, protein-rich snack!

He clarified to the *Sydney Morning Herald* that they weren’t trying to make everyone eat insects with every meal. Instead, it’s about offering insects as a way to boost protein intake. He jokingly added that he wasn’t obsessed with bugs.

Normally, his father takes care of things at the farm while he’s traveling, but this time, his dad is in Paris to watch him compete in the Olympics, so a friend is looking after the farm instead.

Rowing champion Robbie Manson recently revealed he earns extra money through an OnlyFans account, explaining it’s simply a way to make ends meet.

The Olympic rower, a New Zealander who recently came out of retirement for his third Games, revealed he’s currently earning more from his OnlyFans account than from his athletic career. He explained to Reuters that he makes more than twice as much as he would through other sponsorships, and that he believes in being open about it. He feels that any attention, even if unexpected, can be beneficial.

This sport isn’t for everyone, but this rower believes other athletes could really excel at it.

Let me tell you about Ellen Geddes – she’s a true inspiration! Before a car accident changed everything in 2012, when she was just 23, Ellen was a passionate horseback rider. But she didn’t let paralysis define her. Later that year, she discovered wheelchair fencing and quickly fell in love with the sport. By 2013, she was already competing on the world stage at the Wheelchair World Championships – talk about resilience and determination!

I seriously can’t even tell you how excited I am! She’s gone all-in on her dream – she now owns *two* incredible horse farms down in Aiken, South Carolina – Maplewood and Bridlewood! And she’s not just messing around, she’s a breeding director at Magnolia Sport Horses, really shaping the future of the sport. Honestly, I’m counting down the days until the Paris Paralympics start on August 28th, because I *know* she’s going to be up on that podium. I just feel it!

Qualifying for the Paralympics in 2021 was amazing, but I was hoping for a better result,” she told the Lexington County Chronicle. “That’s why I’m competing again in 2024. Honestly, I’ve been focusing more on fencing (foils) than on horses (foals) recently.”

I’m really finding it hard to juggle everything at the moment,” Ellen explained. “I’m prioritizing fencing right now, more than my work with horses and the farms.

Honestly, if I were ever in a tough spot, knowing someone like Alyssa Bull – an Australian firefighter – was coming to my rescue would be incredibly reassuring. But get this – she’s also an Olympic canoeist! Talk about a woman who can handle anything. It just goes to show you never know the amazing talents people have beyond their primary profession.

After competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Aly joined the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service in 2018. She quickly discovered, as she explained to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, that combining her firefighting job with training for competition would require a significant amount of effort and careful planning.

Aly described her training schedule in 2023 as working two day shifts, two night shifts, followed by four days off. She specifically thanked Australian sprint kayak coach Rene Olsen for his support, noting he’d join her for practice on the water as early as 4 a.m. during her day shifts.

But Aly finds that the importance of teamwork follows wherever she goes.

Honestly, watching them work is just… incredible. It doesn’t matter *where* they are in relation to me – leading the way in the boat, right behind, or even squeezed in the backseat rushing to a call – I just completely trust them. I mean, I *know* they can handle anything. Whether it’s expertly using the rescue tools to get someone out of a wrecked car while calmly talking them through everything, or if they’re paddling with me, perfectly in sync, pushing towards the finish line… it’s just amazing to see their skill and how well we work together. It’s complete trust, every single time.

Maria Liana Mutia is always learning and analyzing, whether she’s preparing for a para judo competition or working as a software analyst at Comcast.

My usual day starts with a workout at 6 a.m., followed by work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and then I spend two hours training.

I don’t rely on strength or aggression; I focus on strategy,” the Paralympian explained to TeamUSA.com. “I’m always trying to find the best way to respond to what my opponent does.”

Maria was already an accomplished wrestler and judoka despite her vision loss, and even when she became fully blind, she never considered giving up either sport.

She explained that all grappling sports, like judo, rely on physical contact. Because of this, she never felt concerned about having to quit.

Kat Holmes, a Princeton graduate, successfully balanced her Olympic fencing career with medical school. Competing in her third Olympics in Paris—in both team and individual epee—she’s also a third-year student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. While she’s achieved a lot, she admits trying to manage both at once is incredibly challenging and ‘would not recommend’ it to others.

Training for the Olympics while also going to medical school is incredibly challenging,” she explained to CNBC Make It Ahead. “It’s definitely not something I’d wish on anyone – it’s just not enjoyable. I don’t love training constantly, and honestly, some days I really dread it.

Ultimately, I love fencing,” she said. “I keep reminding myself of that. While winning an Olympic medal is a goal, I don’t think it would have been enough to keep me going on its own.

Sport climbing was a new event at the Tokyo Olympics, and Jesse Gruper followed it closely. While he wasn’t there in person, the mechanical engineer—who began climbing at age six and competing at eleven—has truly come into his own.

He earned a gold medal in the men’s combined event at the 2023 Pan American Games, securing his spot in the Paris Olympics. Currently, he’s conducting research in rehabilitation and soft robotics at Harvard as a fellow. He also worked part-time remotely for the Harvard Biodesign Lab while competing on the World Cup circuit.

Jesse explained to Olympics.com that climbing and mechanical engineering actually have a surprising amount in common. Both involve problem-solving – you’re presented with a challenge and need to find a solution using creativity, hard work, and commitment. He described them both as puzzles where you start with a goal and figure out how to reach it.

Dani Jackovich, an Australian water polo player (seen on the far right in the image), continues to be closely involved with the sport even after her competitive career at Stanford. She currently works as an operations coordinator for swimwear company Delfina Sport and as a data analyst for the water polo technology firm 6-8 Sports.

Making her Olympic debut in Paris feels unreal, Dani shared with Go Stanford. Her journey to get here wasn’t easy, and she once thought her dream would never happen. But her passion for the sport kept her going, allowing her to compete and travel the world. That challenging path makes finally achieving her childhood dream even more meaningful.

Anne Cebula had visited Paris previously, thanks to her work as a model. However, this trip was different – it marked her debut as an Olympic fencer. She first became fascinated with the sport as a 10-year-old while watching the 2008 Beijing Games, captivated by its beauty.

Anne described a fencing match to Access Daily as being similar to an opera, explaining that the intense emotional reactions – people shouting and cheering – usually only happen at the very end of a sports game. However, in fencing, that passionate energy is present throughout the entire competition.

Her parents wouldn’t let her take fencing lessons because of the cost. However, five years later, she joined the popular fencing club at Brooklyn Technical High School, a public school she attended.

Anne fenced for Columbia University and earned a spot in Paris as one of the top American women in epee. While she continued to model, she left her job as a receptionist to focus on training—five hours a day, five days a week.

Fencing has had a huge impact on my life, opening up a lot of wonderful opportunities,” she shared with The City before the competition. “I want to help kids in the city discover the sport, especially those who might not otherwise have the chance or even know it exists. There’s a lot of hidden talent out there, and I want to help unlock it.

Meghan Musnicki, a four-time Olympic rower, retired after the Tokyo Olympics, got married, and started her first traditional job at age 39, working in Human Resources for a data company in the Bay Area. However, she was drawn back to competitive rowing and entered the 2022 Henley Royal Regatta in England. Surprisingly, she and her teammate won the competition, despite participating for enjoyment.

The athlete shared with *Women’s Health* that she realized she could still compete at the Olympic level after seeing she was on par with full-time trainees. This led her to ask herself, ‘If I love training and my body can handle the pressure, why shouldn’t I go for it?’

Meghan’s husband, Skip Kielt, is a rowing coach, and she began training with his team, which was primarily made up of male athletes, all while continuing to work full-time. She balanced her job, working remotely from 7:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., with intense training. In early 2024, she returned to the national team’s training center in Princeton, New Jersey, hoping to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

It would have been a personal trip regardless—she says he’s always been her biggest supporter and knew how much this meant to her—but this Olympics is also a first for Skip, who is coaching the U.S. men’s team.

You know, I’ve always said that pursuing this isn’t about fame or fortune. It’s truly about passion. If you’re doing it for the money or the recognition, you’re missing the point. The real reward comes from simply loving what you do – that’s what keeps you going.

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2025-10-16 22:24