Titmus Heads To Paris A “Smarter Swimmer … Much More Well-Rounded Athlete & Person” Proud To Be Part Of Dolphin Legacy
Arnie Titmus sees herself as “smarter swimmer” and “much more well-rounded athlete and … person” that she was heading into a soaring success as a debut Olympic Dolphin at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
Asked if she felt not just faster but a better swimmer after she emerged from a 3:55.44 world-record rattler in the 400m freestyle at Australian Trials here in Brisbane today, the Olympic and World Champion said:
“I feel like I’m a smarter swimmer. I have so much more experience under my belt. I think about the Olympic Trials three years ago and I was coming off the back of a shocking shoulder injury. I pretty much had three months of work and I really didn’t expect know what to expect. Whereas this time around I come in a much more well rounded athlete and I think a much more well rounded person. I think I’ve grown so much as a human outside of swimming the past three years which I think has made me a better athlete.
Ariarne Titmus – photo: with coach Dean Boxall, by Delly Carr, courtesy of Swimming Australia
Titmus, who hauled four medals at her Olympic debut in Tokyo, with gold in the 200 and 400m freestyle, silver in the 800m freestyle and bronze with fellow Dolphin aces in the 4x200m free relay, is clearly thrilled to be a part of this new golden era of Australian swimming.
Meeting the media in Brisbane today, she noted a tremendous Dolphin legacy and said she felt proud and excited to be a part of “this contention to win gold”.
Questions and Answers With Dolphin Arnie Titmus
The 400 is the most hotly anticipated races in Paris, you know some of your competitors. Can you talk about those you’re up against?
“For me, honestly, it’s just very exciting to be a part of this. I kind of wish that I was watching on as a swimming fan because you look back at the legacy points in swimming with Thorpey and Kieren, and to be a swimming fan would have been so fun so I think about what it would be like to be a swimming fan now and I just feel so honoured and and proud of the work I’ve done to be in this position to be able to be a part of this contention to win gold and it’s very exciting. You know, I think it’s more satisfying in my races that, to win, I have to be the greatest and so I think that gives me more satisfaction, knowing that if I do win it’s in the toughest field in the world.
Ariarne Titmus of Australia celebrates victory at Tokyo 2020ne – by Patrick B. Kraemer
On the Dolphin Trials Final:
“After this morning, I went the heat very comfortable, I didn’t expect to go that fast so I thought there was a chance but you really don’t think about those things. But swimming that close to the record gives me good confidence. The goal isn’t just do my best here. The goal is to just book your ticket so I’m excited to see what I can do now in Paris.
At times you’re up to three quarters of a second under your own best pace. Do you think you swam the race the best way tonight?
“If I’m that far under I think that gives me good confidence that I took it out and I was quite fearless. You know, at the end of the day, trials a bit of a free shot for me, I don’t have to worry about getting under qualifying time so if I stuff up, I have the luxury that I’d probably still be on the team. So it’s about trying new things, and I think to when you always have to try new things, you can’t just expect to keep doing the same thing and expect to keep winning so I see how the race turned out but to be that close my PB at trials is really exciting.”
How does it set you up for Paris?
“It gives me good confidence. I think I’ve kind of timed my prep perfectly. I was swimming quite fast at nationals, in work. I would have expected to be a bit faster there, but I’ve put my head down the past month and a half and done some really solid work, and I’ve probably had the cleanest run through to a major meet this time around,so that gives me a good confidence.
What of the rest of the week?
“Of course I’m on the team already but I still want to swim well. I think it’s about building confidence, knowing where I sit in terms of my prep and where I ave to tweak to try and get better in the time between now and Paris, but the pressure’s off a little bit. The 200 is really hotly contested, people want to be part of that relay team and then people come out of nowhere to do that, so people think that it’s probably just gonna be me and Mollie out in front, but I think that the entire field is gonna be competitive because there’s a very high chance of a gold medal possibility with that relay team.