Who takes the throne? What Titmus shock means for Olympic hopes as champion pays tribute

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Olympic champion Cameron McEvoy said he had a hunch shortly after the Paris Games that Ariarne Titmus would step away from the pool as the sporting world reels from the shock retirement of Australia’s swimming queen.

Speaking to media just hours after the announcement, McEvoy gushed at the legacy the 25-year-old would leave, having won four gold medals across the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games in the 400 metres and 200 metres freestyle.

In 2024, Titmus became the first Australian since Shane Gould in 1972 to hold both the 200-metre and 400-metre freestyle world records, and joins Emma McKeon and Brianna Throssell in calling it quits since the Paris Games.

Ariarne Titmus has announced her retirement.

“Arnie’s definitely one of the best distance swimmers to have ever come into the sport across any gender across any time. She had an incredible career, she’s an incredible woman,” McEvoy said in Brisbane on Thursday morning while announcing the inaugural Australia v The World concept would take place in Fortitude Valley from December 12.

Titmus revealed on social media her time away from the pool since Paris had opened her to some things in her life which were more important to her than swimming.

“I definitely understand where she’s at, after Tokyo 2021 I was almost in that position, so I’m fortunate enough to be in a position now where longevity is a key role to how I go about my season,” McEvoy said.

“The motivation is there because I’m swimming the best I’ve ever done, I do believe there’s still room to move forward, and there’s a home Games coming up in two Olympics’ time. I see no reason to pivot away from that.”

Titmus’ decision leaves Australia searching for their new golden child ahead of the LA Games, with Mollie O’Callaghan the likely successor to the Gold Coast-based superstar.

The 21-year-old Queenslander claimed five gold medals in Paris across individual and relay events, which included the 200 metres freestyle in which she pipped Titmus for the title.

O’Callaghan and Lani Pallister now loom as crucial pieces of Australia’s Olympic record-setting 200m freestyle relay team, following the retirements of Paris teammates Titmus and Throssell.

While McEvoy felt the need to “let the dust settle” before anointing Titmus’ 400-metre successor, Jones said there were no fears about who would succeed the 200-metre duo.

“She will go down as one of the greatest female middle distance swimmers ever,” Jones said of Titmus.

“It is a bit of a loss, but she also then leaves a legacy to the next crop of younger athletes underneath and gives an opportunity to them. With [Brisbane] 2032 coming along, she’s left us in a really good position.

“We don’t need to worry about the depth of Australian 4 x 200 [metres] women’s swimmers. Australia is in really good hands, and having opportunities like this [Australia vs The World] will only excite the next generation to really push and get themselves in a position to become a Dolphin in the future.”

Australian swimming pundits will get their first taste of who has the mettle to take over from Titmus when Australia v The World arrives at The Valley Pool, with 25-metre sprints to also feature and tickets on sale from Thursday afternoon.

World 400 metres freestyle men’s champion Lucas Martins from Germany has been confirmed for the spectacle.

McEvoy believed Titmus’ retirement only heightened the need for more events of this nature to be added to the calendar, as he declared his intent to break the 21-second barrier which had alluded him.

“It makes it more important to have events like these come into the public spotlight because you’ve had people like Ariarne Titmus and Emma McKeon move on from the sport, which means we need to showcase the new Dolphins coming through,” McEvoy said.

“We need to develop their stories and connect them into the public, so as we go into LA – and particularly Brisbane 2032 – the public is across a lot more of the backstories and story lines of these young Dolphins who will be the face of the team.”

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