At a glance…
- Olympian Ariarne Titmus retired from professional swimming in October 2025 after the Paris Olympics.
- Following her retirement, she has appeared on reality television series and began a sports coverage role at Seven.
- Ariarne Titmus speaks with The Weekly ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2026.
For more than a decade, Australians watched Ariarne Titmus make history from the pool.
Now, ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the four-time Olympic gold medallist is stepping onto the pool deck with a microphone instead of a swimming cap.
After retiring from competitive swimming following the Paris Olympics, Ariarne has embraced life beyond elite sport, joining Seven’s Commonwealth Games coverage team after appearances on SHARK! and an expanding broadcasting career. While it’s a vastly different role, she believes her years as one of Australia’s greatest swimmers give her an advantage that can’t be taught.
“I know exactly what those guys are thinking,” Ariarne tells me ahead of the Games.
“I know exactly what sort of questions they want to be asked, and what sort of story they want to tell after they finish racing.
“I feel like I certainly have that insight. A lot of these athletes are my good friends, so I’m actually just going to be having a conversation with all my great mates that have hopefully won some medals for our country. I just want to give them the opportunity to shed a light on who they are, and hopefully Australia falls in love with more and more of our swimmers as we get to watch them on TV.”
Why former athletes make great broadcasters
Ariarne has already covered swimming trials and the World Championships, but Glasgow marks her first international Games working as a reporter rather than competing.
While she’ll inevitably reflect on her own experiences representing Australia, she doesn’t expect to be wishing she was back behind the blocks.
“I’m actually looking forward to seeing how I have been competing while I’m there,” she says.
“I don’t think there’ll be any part of me that wants to jump in and compete, but I do think that I will probably reminisce a little bit on how special it was throughout my career to represent our country for so many years.”
For Ariarne, broadcasting is far more than simply swapping lanes for live television. She believes former athletes can bring an understanding of competition that can’t be learned from the sidelines.
“I do think we know what the athletes are going through, we know the pressure they’re under, we know the emotions they feel,” she explains.
“I think certainly if there’s a result that an athlete is disappointed about, they’re really tough moments, and you have to know how to deal with athletes in those moments. Because we know what it’s like to maybe not get a great result, we’re probably more delicate in those situations.
“I do feel like we are speaking from experience.”
But she’s quick to point out that sporting success alone doesn’t make someone a great presenter.
“It’s not something that every athlete can go into. It’s quite a unique skill set. It’s something that you really have to work at.
“I’ve made sure that, yes, I’ve been afforded these roles because of my swimming achievements, but more so I’ve been given these opportunities because I’m actually a great broadcaster now.
“I don’t want to just be given opportunities because of my swimming success. I want to be offered roles because of my ability as a sports presenter and sports commentator.”
Watching Australia’s next generation shine
Although Ariane has retired, she still speaks about the Dolphins as though she’s very much part of the team.
Having joined her first Australian squad as a teenager, she says those connections never disappear.
“I do feel like you grow up on the national team,” she says. “I made my first Australian team as a junior when I was 14… it is a massive part of your life.
“I just feel really proud to have been a part of the Australian swim team. Although I’m not anymore, I do feel like I’ve contributed to the legacy and I want to make sure that we’re fulfilling on that because it’s so important for our country.”
She’s equally excited about the next wave of Australian swimmers stepping into the spotlight following a string of high-profile retirements, including her own.
“We’ve proven that there are more young women coming through that understand the legacy and the importance of what it means to be a part of those teams,” she says.
“There’s some youngsters coming through that are still quite green that have massive potential… we’re looking at them long term, and we want to make sure that we can nurture these athletes to achieve the results they’re destined for.”
A new chapter after swimming
Retirement has also brought something Ariarne rarely experienced during her years of elite competition: balance.
“I learned that every day is different,” she says.
“I lived my entire life knowing what was coming each day, lived a very routine life… but now I’m really being fulfilled in lots of different ways.
“I’m wearing many different hats, which can be stressful and very busy, but I’m enjoying that part of my life at the moment. While I have the opportunity, while I’m young and hungry and want to be busy, I’m just trying to wrap it all up.”
Her definition of success hasn’t changed, either — only the goals she’s chasing.
“When I was swimming, my goals were certainly to do with medals and records,” she says.
“Now it’s just both in different avenues of my life. I have goals and career ambitions in the broadcast space and in other areas of my life.
“Success to me certainly isn’t as high stakes, but it’s still just me trying to be the best version of myself and reach my potential in whatever it is.”
As Australia’s swimmers chase medals in Glasgow, Ariarne will be asking the questions instead of answering them. And if her instincts are right, viewers won’t just see the results, they’ll get to know the people behind them.
Follow our Commonwealth Games coverage here and watch the Games on Channel Seven and 7Plus.
