Since returning from the Olympic Games Paris 2024 , Ariarne Titmus has been stopped in public more times than she can count – including in a few unusual locations, like while lining up for a public toilet. "It's definitely gone up a notch, and it's something you've got to get used to," she tells 9honey from Melbourne, where she's celebrating the launch of the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival. The swimming legend is happy to say hi to everyone who approaches her, provided they respect her boundaries and remember she's a normal person as well as a champion athlete.

READ MORE: Emotional moment tearful Adele spots Céline Dion in crowd "Sometimes I think that there's boundaries that can be crossed, but that's the nature of things. I'm happy to live my life like this, to do what I do," says Titmus. At just 24, her public platform is bigger than ever before and she's excited to put it to use - and not just in the pool.

"I now have a role in society to be someone people can look up to and relate to," she says. "It's not just about me performing on the world stage as an athlete. I have a platform where I can truly help people.

" She started with a recent appearance on the Inherited podcast, where she opened up about having surgery to remove two benign tumours on her ovary last year, and how that experience only intensified her desire to be a mother. By sharing her own experiences, she hopes to get people talking about crucial topics like women's health and be a role model to the m.