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"A true champion": Former Olympic swimming hero pays tribute to retiring Titmus
Sam Kosack • October 16th, 2025 8:36 pm
Former Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson has paid tribute to Ariarne Titmus, following her shock retirement at the age of 25.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist took to Instagram to announce she would retire from all levels of swimming after 18 years of competing and 10 years representing her country.
Titmus walks away with eight Olympic medals to her name, including four gold, and 33 international medals, as well as the current 200m freestyle world record.
Hanson, a gold medal winner and former World Record holder herself, was overjoyed for Titmus following the decision.
“I'm just so happy that she's been able to come to this decision,” Hanson told SEN 1170 Afternoons.
“I understand there's so many Aussies quite stunned by it but from one Olympian to another, it's heartfelt and it shows just so much courage and real self-awareness that she's decided that part of my journey is over and I'm starting a new chapter.
“I guess (I’m) a little bit surprised, but just seeing her take this last 12 months off, I just admire her so much because… I think she's just recognised the importance of her own health and the importance of building her own media career and what she wants to conquer in the future.
“But also recognising that she did go through confronting surgery and that probably put life into perspective for her that she's achieved everything that she has in swimming.
“She goes out on top and what a way to go out, as the current 200 world record holder and just saying I'm happy with what I've achieved, and now it's time to dive into another whole new world of what's to come.
“I'm really, really happy for her and she's just done it with utter grace and she's shown us that you can go out on your own, on your own terms but for me, it's just that strength and grace that she's always led with, that authentic kindness, and I think that's what makes her a true champion.”
Hanson retired in 2007 after her success in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and revealed it may take a while for the reality of Titmus’s retirement to sink in.
“She's had a bit of a taste of that over the last 12 months,” Hanson said.
“It'll still be difficult, but she's ready for it… but what's been going on in the background the last couple of months, having that support from her family, obviously from Dean, from her friends, from mentors, she understands that her legacy is huge.
“I guess for someone who's been through it, it won't hit her until the swimmers dive in at that next Olympics.
“That's when you sort of have that moment to reflect on what you have achieved, what your legacy is for swimming and you have that little bit of did I make the right decision.
“That’s when she'll be able to do even more reflection on what she's achieved and from a fellow Olympian, I'm just so proud of her because it takes a lot of courage to get to this point.”
“(Her standout moment) has to be definitely that first Olympic individual gold medal… the weight of the nation and so much pressure on her to overcome one of her biggest rivals.
“To take Katie Ledecky down at that level and under enormous amounts of pressure and as an athlete, you see that pressure as a privilege and she really rose to that moment.”
