Ariarne Titmus is fitter, faster and as fired up as ever as Australia’s dual defending Olympic champion puts the finishing touches to her Paris Preparation with the Australian team at their French headquarters in Chartres.
Australia’s Dolphins swim team are holed up in the serene surrounds of the L’odyssee Aquatic Complex, 100km outside Paris, a place Titmus describes as being “perfect for the job we are about to do.”
“It’s good not to be at home seeing the hype on TV and in the newspapers; it doesn’t feel like we are preparing for an Olympic Games. It just feels like we are on a training camp,” said the 23-year-old who is very much one of the faces of Australia’s 2024 Olympic campaign.
“I’m trying to swim the best I can every day and keep a really relaxed mindset and know that I’ve done this before…and I’m just trying to be as relaxed as possible.”
WALL OF FAME: Australia’s Olympic golden girl Ariarne Titmus featured on the wall of a pub in Tasmania. Photo Courtesy Hobart Mercury.
That hype from home features Titmus in around the clock television and newspaper advertising campaigns for Harvey Norman Australia’s largest multi-national retailer; Games host broadcaster Channel 9 and Australia’s National airline carrier Qantas, who commissioned a series of 10 two-storey murals across the country before the competition begins.
The Ariarne Titmus mural has been painted in her hometown of Launceston in Tasmania, splashed on the side of the famous Cock ‘n’ Bull pub on the city’s well trodden Wellington Street.
“It’s so exciting to know your hometown is behind you when you’re competing on the world stage, and I feel very honoured Launceston has made that abundantly clear,” Titmus said.
“Community spirit runs deep in Tassie and their support really does mean a lot to me.
“I can’t wait to represent Australia at the Olympics – it’s such a special experience and even more so when you know your hometown is cheering you on from the other side of the world.”
Titmus, won gold in the 200m and 400m freestyle during the Tokyo Games and addressed the media throng poolside in Chartres, saying she is a better athlete than she was in Tokyo three years ago.
“I definitely think as an athlete I have grown a lot in three years and as a person I’ve grown more,” Titmus said.
“I think mentally I’ve got so many learnings from the last Olympic Games.
“I know this is going to be different with big crowds, which I’m very excited for, but I think as an athlete — all together as a whole — I’m in a better position than three years ago.
“I know I’ve grown since the last Olympic Games…
“And more than anything, I have prepared the best I ever have prepared for a swim meet.”
For the dual world record holder over the 200 and 400m it’s all about training and resting during the day and capitalising on not having any distractions as she sets her self for a slice of Olympic history – winning “the double double.”
“Back home there’s still a lot of life going on while you are training, with your personal life and your professional life outside of swimming so it’s good to be here and to totally focus on swimming,” says the freestyle golden girl of the pool.
WORLD BEATER: Ariarne Titmus WR 200 Free Brisbane June 12 Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Wade’s Photos)
“It’s a nice environment to be in; there is not much room in your head other than focusing on the task at hand and I think if you let external noise come in you kind of get off track.
“For me I have a massive program coming up…with a lot of expectation on myself, from myself and the Australian public so if I let external factors enter my mind it’s just exhausting….
“I just think about swimming as fast as I can and at the end of the day it doesn’t matter whether it’s at the Olympic Games or the State Championships…I’m still going to do my absolute best and that’s how I think about it….
“I’m just excited to see what I’m capable of and of course I’m racing for the country and the swim team and for myself and my family but its about getting the best out of yourself.
“That’s why I still swim because I believe I have more in the tank and so that’s my goal at these Games to try and get every skerrick out of myself and see what I’m capable of….”
And Titmus faces the busiest time of her sporting life with the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle events as well as the 4x200m freestyle and here are her thoughts on arch rival, club mate at St Peters Western Mollie O’Callaghan after they went head-to-head in that epic world record assault at the Australian Trials.
Titmus reminding the media of the fact that even though they swim in the same program, they don’t actually train together.
“Mollie does the sprint program, and I do the distance program so we hardly ever cross paths so there’s not much opportunity to compare with each other in training anyway it’s just as if I was versing anyone else in the team really,” said Titmus
“(Coach) Dean (Boxall) does a really good job in managing that; it’s not just Molly and I; she has to race (another St Peters girl) Shayna (Jack) in the 100m as well.
BACK IN THE FAST LANE: Ariarne Titmus full stream ahead in the Speedo Fastskin. Photo Courtesy Speedo.
“I don’t look at any of my competitors as competitors out of the pool just seeing them as the person they are, and I think that makes it easy to keep things civil…”
And her thoughts on the 200m without Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh?
“Even without Katie and Summer there is still an incredible field in the 200m freestyle,” says Titmus.
“I know Siobhan Haughey from Hong Kong is going to be there and there are other women that are going to create an incredible final for us; the fact that those two have had to pull out doesn’t change anything for mine.
“Both of them are in events that I don’t do that clash with the 200 and I can see the decision making to do what they have done…
“It doesn’t change the way I want to swim the race, or it doesn’t change anything for me really…my job is get into that final…and give it a red hot crack…
And the 400m freestyle.
“Of all my races I know how to race the 400 the best…and I’m just excited to see what I can put together on the world stage.
“The 400m is on day one. Everyone is going into that race fresh… no one knows what kind of form anyone else is in….
“The boost you get from racing in high pressure environments is exciting and I have not had that since world’s last year so I’m excited to see what I am able to put together.
“I don’t think about the result or the magnitude of what an Olympic Games is…I just think about putting together eight great laps……!
TOKYO FLASHBACK: Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky will meet again in Paris. Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports
The 800m freestyle:
“I am still not happy with how I’ve swum the 800 this year; my training hasn’t been reflected in the races that I have put together in the 800,” said Titmus.
“I know Katie is an unbelievable 800 swimmer…the best there’s ever been and of course she will definitely be a challenge in that race.
“But I’m going to put my best foot forward…it’s the last event on my program and I really want to go into these Games and leave nothing in the tank…I’m just excited to see what I can do in all my events…”
Coach Dean Boxall?
“Dean has been relatively relaxed to be honest. He’s switched on and ready to go, excited and just as an athlete is, as a coach having been to an Olympics before he now has experience as well in these situations. He’s really relaxed which is nice. He’s not even watching Queensland in the State Of Origin (Rugby League Series decider between Queensland and NSW and won by NSW) wanting to stay calm and collected. He doesn’t want to get too hyped. He’s been in a good mood lately which good…”
And the final word? “It’s a time to rest up, eat well and stay in a positive mindset. There’s no magic solution, no magic wave of the wand, it’s pretty simple…..put your best foot forward every day at training and hopefully my best will be good enough to win.