Australian swimming trials 2023: Ariarne Titmus hints at retirement after Paris Olympics
Australian swimming superstar Ariarne Titmus has dropped a stunning retirement bombshell on the opening night of national trials, revealing she is thinking about quitting the sport
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Australian swimming superstar Ariarne Titmus dropped a bombshell* on the opening night of the national trials on Tuesday when she revealed she was thinking about quitting the sport after next year’s Paris Olympics.
Just 22, the “Terminator” said she still hopes and expects to stay in the sport beyond Paris but the thought of retiring* had entered her mind.
“With the intensity* of my training and the intensity of having to perform on the world stage, I can’t think about anything else than the next 12 months,” she said.
“I plan to continue swimming, but I can’t think beyond (Paris). It’s too overwhelming. I can’t possibly think, ’Oh my God, another Olympic cycle* already.”
If Titmus did quit the sport, it would be a massive shock because she’s a once-in-a-generation* talent.
She became the darling* of Australian swimming after winning the 200m and 400m freestyle* gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics – famously beating American Katie Ledecky – and said she had even discussed the idea of an early retirement with her coach Dean Boxall before this week’s Australian trials.
She showed no sign of wanting to stop soon as she booked her place in the Australian team for next month’s world championships in Japan, – posting a time of 3:58.47.
But she later admitted that she was disappointed with the time because she wanted to go quicker in case it did turn out to be one of her last attempts at the gruelling* distance.
“When you’re going into a meet like this, you always want to take an opportunity to swim as fast as you can and Dean and I had the conversation,” she said.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do after Paris. I plan to continue, but you never know.”
Pressed on whether she was serious about hanging up her goggles, Titmus said it was not her intention but things could change depending on how she performs in Paris.
“I think if I went to Paris and won again, certainly (there might be) a motivational factor*.
“It becomes harder to keep training at the same level when you have essentially achieved everything you wanted to achieve.
“At the moment, I’m trying to forget about what I’ve achieved in my swimming career. I’m just trying to be that young kid that I was when I first started swimming, to draw motivation from ‘I love swimming and that’s why I swim’ and everything else that’s happened is a bonus.”
GLOSSARY
- bombshell: a surprising or shocking piece of news or information
- retiring: ceasing to work or participate in a particular activity, usually due to reaching a certain age or deciding to quit
- intensity: the degree or level of strength, power, or focus in an activity or situation
- Olympic cycle: refers to the four-year period between each Olympic Games
- once-in-a-generation talent: an exceptional individual with skills or abilities that are rarely seen
- darling: a term used to describe someone who is beloved or greatly admired
- freestyle: a swimming stroke performed with any combination of arm and leg movements
- gruelling: extremely tiring, demanding, or challenging
- motivational factor: something that provides inspiration or incentive to take action
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QUICK QUIZ
- Who is Ariarne Titmus and what recent achievements has she made in swimming?
- Why is Ariarne Titmus considering the possibility of retiring from swimming after the Paris Olympics?
- What is the significance of the term “Terminator” in relation to Ariarne Titmus?
- What are some factors that Ariarne Titmus mentioned as potential influences on her decision to continue or quit swimming?
- How does Ariarne Titmus describe her current mindset and approach to swimming, and what motivates her to keep going?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Don’t stop!
What would you say to persuade Titmus to keep swimming? Write a list of arguments that you think would convince her not to retire. Don’t forget to use as many convincing words as you can.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education
2. Extension
In the article, Titmus talks about what motivates her. Use her ideas to create a poster or write a speech. The purpose of your poster or speech is to help other kids your age find motivation to do their best in something that is difficult.
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education; Personal and Social Capability
VCOP ACTIVITY
Information report writing task: swimming superstar Ariarne Titmus
Objective: To explore language features in the article and create an information report about Australian swimming superstar Ariarne Titmus.
Instructions:
- Divide the students into pairs or small groups.
- Provide each group with a copy of the article about Ariarne Titmus.
- Explain to the students that they will be creating an information report about Ariarne Titmus based on the article.
- Ask each group to read the article carefully and identify the key information and language features.
- Instruct the groups to organise the information they gathered into different sections, such as Introduction, Early Career, Tokyo Olympics, Future Plans, etc.
- Encourage the students to use their own words to summarise the information and write it in a clear and concise manner.
- Remind them to include relevant language features, such as facts, direct quotes, descriptive words, and relevant details from the article.
- Each group should then work together to write their information report using the sections they have identified. They can use headings and bullet points to make their report more organised and visually appealing.
- Ensure groups re-read their work aloud to check for clarity and understanding. Encourage them to up-level using their VCOP skills.
- After completing the writing, allow each group to present their information report to another group for feedback.
- Encourage the other students to listen attentively and provide feedback on the clarity, organisation, and use of language features in each report.
- Encourage the students to use their own words and avoid copying directly from the article. Remind them to include important details and language features to make their reports informative and engaging.
Extension: Create a class display showcasing the information reports, or the students can create illustrations or posters to accompany the reports.