Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus shocks fans with retirement from elite swimming
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Brisbane (AP): Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus has announced her retirement from elite swimming in a social media post that took Australian sports fans by surprise.
The 25-year-old Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, had been widely expected to return to competitive swimming following a break in the wake of the Paris Games and train for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“I've always loved swimming, it's been my passion since I was a little girl, but I guess I've taken this time away from the sport and realized some things in my life that have always been important to me are just a little bit more important to me now than swimming,” Titmus said in a video posted Thursday on Instagram.
“And that's OK.”
At the Paris Olympics last year, Titmus won the 400-meter freestyle to defend her title in a highly-hyped race against American great Katie Ledecky and Canada's Summer McIntosh.
All three had held the world record in the event at some stage.
In 2023, Titmus had surgery to remove two benign ovarian tumors but returned to the highest level quickly.
“Knowing now what I know, I wish maybe I enjoyed that last race a little bit more,” she said.
“But I guess having this 12 months away I've had the chance to explore what life is like without swimming — and that was always my intention — but I think a turning point for me was in the lead-up to the Paris Games I went through some health challenges which, quite frankly, really rocked me.”
Titmus retires as the world-record holder in the 200 freestyle and with 33 international medals, including four gold, three silver and one bronze Olympic gold medals and four world titles.
She initially posted the news as a letter to her seven-year-old self.
“Today you retire from competitive swimming. 18 years you spent in the pool competing. 10 of those representing your country. You went to two Olympic Games and, even better, you won!!!” she wrote.
“The dreams you had, they all came true. You achieved more than you ever thought you were capable of and you should be so proud.”
Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman praised Titmus for setting “amazing standards for the sport and those that follow.”
“Ariarne has always conducted herself so well out of the pool as well as in the pool," Chesterman added in a statement. “Someone who you talk about being an absolute champion, someone who has shown all the traits that you want in a young athlete, and who has achieved the ultimate success.”
In an earlier social media post, Swimming Australia congratulated Titmus for her “unwavering dedication to swimming in Australia and for inspiring us all around the world.”
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Prasidh, Kuldeep limit South Africa to 270 after De Kock's hundred
Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.
India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.
After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.
De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.
The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.
Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.
De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.
India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.
The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.
But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.
What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).
Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.
Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.
All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.
Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.
