Tasmanian Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus is expecting her first child, sharing the news on social media alongside a message for people struggling with fertility.
“We are beyond grateful to be blessed with the greatest gift of all,” Titmus wrote on Instagram, under the caption “Our little love”.
“We love you so much, little one.”
Titmus said she was conscious the path to parenthood was not easy for everyone.
“We know it’s not always the easiest journey to parenthood and it is something we are conscious of,” she wrote.
“All of our love to those who are in the thick of fertility struggles, our hearts go out to you.”
The Tasmanian-born swimmer retired from competitive swimming in October last year at the age of 25.
She won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 400m freestyle at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay in Paris, along with silver medals in the 200m and 800m freestyle across both Games.
Titmus represented Australia for 10 years and is regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance freestyle swimmers of all time.
Her family moved from Tasmania to Queensland in 2015, when she was 14, so she could access better training.
When she retired, Titmus said she was leaving the sport “fulfilled, content and happy” and looked forward to “more time with the people you love most”.
