Ariarne Titmus isn’t ready to hang up her goggles just yet, but Tasmania’s golden girl won’t be pushing herself back into the pool unless her heart is truly in it.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist has confirmed she is planning a return to competitive swimming ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, marking what would be her third Games campaign.
However, the 24-year-old has made it clear she won’t hesitate to walk away if the fire isn’t burning bright enough.
“I’ve definitely let myself have that breathing space to know that I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted to do in my career,” Titmus told SEN.
“And, you know, if I go back and I’m not feeling it, then there’s no pressure.”
The Launceston-born swimmer has been on a planned 12-month break since her Paris Olympics triumph, swimming just five times during her extended hiatus.
She has spent the time exploring media work, speaking engagements and spending quality time with family and friends. But the structure and routine of elite training is calling her back.
“I miss the sense of routine. My life at the moment has been all over the place,” she said. “You miss that sense of routine and seeing your coach every day.”
Titmus plans to gradually build her training load under coach Dean Boxall, with the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and 2027 World Championships serving as stepping stones toward LA.
The unique Olympic schedule for 2028 has also captured her imagination, with swimming shifted to the second week while athletics takes the opening honours.
The prospect of competing in front of 40,000 spectators at SoFi Stadium is particularly enticing for someone who has never visited Los Angeles.
“It’s pretty crazy to know we are going to be in the village watching the rest of our teammates compete and have to be the ones to bring it home,” she said.
“We are very used to trying to get the country off to a great start and we then have the role of cheering everyone else on. It’ll be a new role but I’m actually excited to see how it will all go.”
