Australian Ariarne Titmus accomplished what many thought wasn’t possible when she beat Olympic icon Katie Ledecky in the women’s 400m freestyle at the 2019 FINA World Championships.
Entering the meet, American Ledecky had never been beaten in the event at an international competition but Titmus accomplished the feat, setting her trajectory toward Tokyo with an eye on Olympic gold.
Now fewer than 10 days out from the Games’ opening ceremonies, Titmus is gearing up for a series of freestyle battles, not just in the 400m but also in the 200m, 800m freestyle event and in the 800m free relay. Should she top the podium in any of the former, Titmus would become Tasmania’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medalist.
Speaking with The Examiner recently, 20-year-old Titmus said of her upcoming competition, “In the races I’m in I think I’m going to have to be absolutely at my best form to win with Katie in the field and she’s the reigning Olympic champion so it’s going to be a tough one to get my hand on the wall first.
“The pressure that I put on myself and Dean, my coach, puts on me to perform is higher than the pressure I feel from the public. Honestly, I don’t know whether it’s something in my mind or the way I am but I don’t feel the pressure too much. I see things and read them and kind of go ‘yeah, whatever, they are not the ones who have to do the race’ so I kind of look at it that way.
“Pressure’s a privilege and something that I have to use to help me swim fast and use my nerves as well because I know that when I’m nervous and excited it means that the race matters and I’m going to get the best out of myself when I feel that energy. I just have to take it all in, utilise it as best I can and hope that I can perform for our country.”
Although Titmus is an Olympic rookie, she has already racked up accolades to the tune of short course and long course world champion, Pan Pacific champion and Commonwealth Games champion.
As such, Titmus said, “Even though this is my first Olympics I’ve actually been on the team since December 2016 so I feel like I’ve definitely made my way into the team and feel comfortable with everyone and I can play a role in the team. That’s something that’s really exciting. When I first made the team I was 16 years old quite young and naive and looked up to other people but now it’s crazy to think as a 20-year-old I’m now kind of a resident on the team but it’s nice.”
Titmus enters Tokyo ranked #1 in the world this season in the 200m and 400m free and #2 in the world behind Ledecky in the 800m free.
I hope Katie uses this as motivation!!! Just like the French said about the American men in Beijing for the relay…
Regarding the 400 and 200, Ledecky’s best shot is the 400, although I still favor Titmus in that event. The 200 for Ledecky is very tough because she basically has a 200/1500 double to contend with. She’ll be hard pressed to medal in the 200. Very deep event.
The 800 should be a slam dunk for Ledecky. Even if Titmus steps up in that event, she needs to get well below 8:10—probably in the 8:06 – 8:07 range— to be close. I’m unconvinced she can get there.
so psyched for the 200 and 400fr. I really hope both swimmers are 100% that day and will be cheering them both on in hopes of a race for the ages! (and new WRs)
they are so fantastic and awesome and how spoiled we are as fans to have this opportunity to cheer them on!!
I adore Katie and will cheer for her, but she’s gotten too swole (carrying too much muscle). She struggles in the water more than she did before.
I agree when she was leaner, she swam more clean and controlled
Certainly don’t read any disrespect for Ledecky or any “beating her own drum” in these comments. My read on their likely match-ups:
200 – Clear lean Titmus
400 – Coin toss (2021 suggest Titmus/Ledecky track record says write off at own peril)
800 – Clear lean Ledecky
4X200 – Clear lean Titmus as regards team victory, fastest leg coin toss
2021 momentum certainly lies with Titmus and there is certainly a very valid case to be made for a 3-1 head/head result but despite Ledecky’s aura of invincibility in events >200 looking fragile; 400 situation is inconclusive and at 800, Titmus is only one of a ruck of 8.14-8.16s in what may be Ledecky’s optimal event.
2 Gold & 2 Silver would be a great return for Titmus.
But I can see her doing better than that.
Yes I’m hoping for at least 1 individual gold and the relay gold for Ariarne. But she could realistically get 3 golds plus a silver in the 800. 4 golds is possible but pretty unrealistic.
She is swimming the 4x100Fr prelims to earn an extra medal. At least that’s is what Madison Wilson Told to the papers
Link? Titmus is not good at the 100 at all and Australia has way too much depth there.
Where’d you see that?
I guess that means O’Callaghan, Harris, C2 and Titmus in the heats with fastest joining C1, McKeon and Wilson in the final.
That.s exactly what is planned as of right now. Things can change, but because its so easy to do top4 for australia with that lineup, they will give the chance to more girls winning that gold medal, and the fastest girl in the heats will join Wilson, Cate and Emma. It was in the paper the other day. And it makes total sense. Remember that the US did exactly that in the US 4x100Fr in Beijing 2008
This is with 5 medals in mind for Titmus to be the superstar of the games. 4 golds and a silver challenging for the gold.
At least that’s the plan
sure, but link?
Everyone is sleeping on Siobhan Haughey in 200 Free, who has a 600,000 USD bonus incentive from HKG to win a race. I’m skeptical about so many of the time drops coming out of the Adelaide pool at AUS Trials. Putting aside all the other drops in other events, a lot of AUS gal swimmers dropped a great deal of time off previous personal bests in the 200m Free.Titmus dropped 1.18 seconds nearly breaking a supersuit WR after a shoulder injury (?), Meg Harris 2.15 seconds, Mollie O’Callaghan 1.36 seconds, Leah Neale 1.15 seconds, Madi Wilson .58 seconds.
Skeptical? What are you saying ?
Yes please let us know what are you saying, Cate Campbell or Bronte didn’t swim their best times, nor did Chalmers, Horton, Seebohm, Mathew Wilson.
What was that, these are older swimmers, the young ones like Titmus, Harris, O’Callaghan are young & it’s normal to drop big times.
Sorry that was to Jimmy not Joel.
I haven’t been this excited for an Olympic W400m Freestyle since Janet Evans vs. Heike Friedrich in Seoul ’88. There’s gonna be some fire!
Titmus has the right approach. Don’t brag and put pressure on herself. Correctly call that Katie is incredible and try her best to win.
My predictions are:
200 – 85% Ariarne
400 – 60% Ariarne
800 – 95% Katie
Ariarne has better times in 200 and 400 but it’s certainly not inconceivable that Katie could beat her. However, the 800 would require a beast PB from Ariarne AND a below average swim for Katie.
Since nobody has asked this, Will Katie keep swimming after these games? What was her major in college? Would love to know some of her future plans instead, since she isn’t competing in ISL.
Just asked her, she says she’s gonna keep swimming
I don’t see her hanging it up. She’s 24, not old by any stretch in this sport and we’re only 3 years from another Olympics. I could even see her pushing through 2028 – she seems the type to want to stick around a long time.
I agree, but must be hard to be a distance swimmer and continue for that long. Wonder why she never does open water?