“I think we’ve made each other better” : Ariarne Titmus on her compelling rivalry with Katie Ledecky

After one of the greatest and long running rivalry of Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, swimming has found two new faces going head-to-head in this current era, Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky. Over the past few years, this rivalry has captured worldwide attention due to the high pressure and mutual respect between the two athletes.

The Australian and the American first locked horns in the 2019 World Championships, where Titmus won over Ledecky in the 400m freestyle, which caused a huge upset and initialed the start of their rivalry. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics however, both one upped each other in a mix of freestyle and long distance competitions, securing their respective gold medals.

Their rivalry continued in the recent Paris 2024 Olympics as well, where the Australian won gold in the 400m freestyle while Katie Ledecky had to settle for the silver. Meanwhile, the American reversed the results in the 800m long distance. While both competitors have managed to assert dominance in their respective masteries, they have known each other for a long time, and thus the respect that they have is second to none. Both athletes have also made remarks on each other during interviews, admiring their abilities and the fact that they have completely changed the landscape of women’s swimming.

“It goes to show any little girl at home that they can jump into sport” : Ariarne Titmus on the impact she has made and rivalry with Ledecky

Titmus’s childhood played a key role in her taking swimming as a profession, as the Australian started swimming at a very young age. Being from Tasmania, she did not possess good infrastructure and mainstream competition, which led to her imminent move to Queensland later on in her childhood, thanks to her family making significant sacrifices to help her achieve her dream. In a recent interview, the Australian described how grateful she feels to be able to inspire young girls to pursue their careers in sports.

“I think it’s so exciting. And it goes to show any little girl at home that they can jump into sport. Trying hard, dreaming big, doing whatever they want to do. In Australia, our women in sport are tearing it up, we’re killing it. And I feel so proud to be a part of that at the moment. Hopefully it inspires any little girl anywhere around the world to get into sport if they love it,” said the 23-year-old (via Olympics.com).

The Australian swimmer also addressed her close relationship with friend and rival Katie Ledecky, and says it is a ‘privilege’ to be able to push each other and get better along the way.

“It’s so fun, and it’s an absolute privilege to push her and she pushes me every day. I think we’ve made each other better because of it. The 800 final [in Paris] was such a fun race to be a part of. I really took it to her and challenged her, and I’m so proud of my efforts in that. She’s remarkable,” said the two-time Olympic gold medalist.

With both athletes being at the prime of their careers, they are surely going to continue to give each other a hard time at the upcoming World Championships, while the LA 2028 Olympics could be the final tournament for both athletes to seal their legacy as the greater swimmer between them. But it is safe to say that this rivalry will not just be celebrated for their high level of competition, but also for the mutual respect and sportsmanship they share for each other.

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