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Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus shared her thoughts on retired sprinter Cathy Freeman's impact on sports in a recent interview. Freeman, who is an Aboriginal Australian, won a gold medal in the Women's 400m event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She was also chosen to light the Olympic flame in the opening ceremony of the Games, which later became a historic moment in Australian sports history.
Notably, Titmus is widely regarded as one of the best middle-distance swimmers in the world at the moment. She first made her breakthrough at the 2019 World Championships, where she won a gold medal in the 400m freestyle, ending prominent swimmer Katie Ledecky's six-year unbeaten streak in the event. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she cemented herself as one of the best swimmers of all time by winning two gold medals.
In an interview with Laureus Sport, Titmus discussed the impact of Freeman on Australian sport.
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"The impact that she still has on people, 25 years beyond the Sydney Olympics is remarkable. I think that the pressure she was under to perform for our country in front of a home crowd, is probably something that would be very very hard to top in the world of sport. She still speaks with such grace and can remember those moments so vividly. In our country, Cathy Freeman is synonymous with the Olympic Games, what she's done not just for sport, for our country and athletics but for her culture and the indigenous community is really important back home."
During the interview, Titmus discussed the impact sports have on the world and mentioned how the platform that athletes have is very important. At the 2025 Laureus Awards, Titmus was nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year award.
Ariarne Titmus' inspiring return to competitive swimming following major health issue
Ariarne Titmus' return to competitive swimming was nothing short of impressive. The Olympic champion was set to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but faced a life-altering health issue beforehand. In September 2023, she was managing a hip injury when doctors discovered a large growth on her right ovary. She underwent surgery to remove the tumors, but her appearance at the Olympics was still in doubt.
However, Titmus put all doubts to rest by breaking the 200m World Record at the Australian Swimming Trials in June 2024. She defended her Olympic title in women's 400m freestyle, winning the gold medal. She also grabbed another gold medal in the Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay, making her performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics a truly remarkable feat.
