Earlier in June, Ariarne Titmus, one of the world’s best swimmers and winner of multiple Olympic gold medals, announced that she would not be participating in Budapest’s world championships.
The 21-year-old has stated, “it doesn’t bother me that I’m not going to be in the headlines or the media or the spotlight when the world championships are on” and, as the swimmer put it, “I swim because I love it and I want to perform on the biggest stage, which for me is the Olympic Games.”
This decision has come as a surprise to many as Titmus has an ongoing rivalry with Katie Ledecky, another world champion swimmer. As journalist for The New York Times Kieran Pender writes, “Most swimmers in her position, then, might have been raring to defend their world title against Ledecky, who has dominated the sport for a decade.”
In the past, Titmus and Ledecky have competed multiple times against each other; Titmus won the gold medal for the 200- and 400-meter races, and then came in second place behind Ledecky in the 800-meter freestyle. Despite their competition, Titmus has shown great respect for Ledecky, stating that she has “changed female swimming.”
However, Titmus does not seem greatly concerned over the title stating, “I don’t focus too much on other people. I really just worry about myself.” While “Ledecky is expected to take back the 400-freestyle world title,” according to Pender, Titmus will be asleep in Australia.
The world championships will take place on June 25th.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/sports/olympics/ariarne-titmus-katie-ledecky-swimming-worlds.html
The 21-year-old has stated, “it doesn’t bother me that I’m not going to be in the headlines or the media or the spotlight when the world championships are on” and, as the swimmer put it, “I swim because I love it and I want to perform on the biggest stage, which for me is the Olympic Games.”
This decision has come as a surprise to many as Titmus has an ongoing rivalry with Katie Ledecky, another world champion swimmer. As journalist for The New York Times Kieran Pender writes, “Most swimmers in her position, then, might have been raring to defend their world title against Ledecky, who has dominated the sport for a decade.”
In the past, Titmus and Ledecky have competed multiple times against each other; Titmus won the gold medal for the 200- and 400-meter races, and then came in second place behind Ledecky in the 800-meter freestyle. Despite their competition, Titmus has shown great respect for Ledecky, stating that she has “changed female swimming.”
However, Titmus does not seem greatly concerned over the title stating, “I don’t focus too much on other people. I really just worry about myself.” While “Ledecky is expected to take back the 400-freestyle world title,” according to Pender, Titmus will be asleep in Australia.
The world championships will take place on June 25th.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/sports/olympics/ariarne-titmus-katie-ledecky-swimming-worlds.html
