'If that can help one woman, that's special': At 24, Ariarne Titmus is making powerful moves in and out of the pool
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 many Aussies who admire her."If that can help one woman out there, that's special to me," she says, adding that there's still so much stigma around women's health and it's powerful to show that anyone can be affected.It's a powerful move from Titmus, who is still getting used to the massive platform she has post-Olympic Games.Titmus was a powerhouse in Paris, collecting two gold medals and two silver for Australia, then she announced she'd taking a 12-month break from swimming shortly after the Olympic Games.A few months into her well-earned time off, Titmus says it's a relief to have the weight of competition off her shoulders and her mind.For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here."More than anything, it's a bit of a mental health break. I think the intensity and the pressure of training every day and getting up to perform is just a lot," she explains."So I'm looking forward to continuing my break and just not thinking about high performance. It's it's a tough slog training for an Olympic Games, and I'm just enjoying my life at the moment without that pressure."Taking time off had also freed Titmus up for exciting opportunities away from the pool and she's thrilled to be a Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador this year.Dressed in a vibrant pink frock, Titmus looked every bit a spring racing darling as she kicked off the festivites in Melbourne on Monday morning.It was a far cry from the green and gold tracksuit Aussies watched her hit the podium in just a few months ago."People are probably used to seeing me with wet hair looking like a drowned rat," Titmus laughs, but she loves dressing up and is excited to immerse herself in all the glitz and glamour that the carnival has to offer.Just look at her outfit from the 2022 Melbourne Cup, when she arrived in a striking backless suit in the perfect shade of sky blue, which made her look and feel like a powerhouse – and it wasn't even Titmus' first pick."We actually changed last minute because the weather was so horrendous, I was going to freeze in the dress I had planned," she reveals."I haven't got backups this year. But if there's a disaster, we'll sort it."READ MORE: Saoirse Ronan silences male stars on talk show with comebackA little over a week out from Cup day, the Olympian won't reveal much about the outfit she has planned. She loves classic styles, but the races are the best excuse to try something new and she’s not afraid to step outside the box."I try to wear things that showcase that, and show young women that you can be beautiful while being muscular and athletic," she says.Just don't expect her to rock up wearing her four Paris 2024 medals, which are currently wrapped in socks (the cases haven't returned on her freight from Paris yet) and locked in a safe.With the Olympic Games behind her, Titmus can't wait to enjoy everything the Melbourne Cup Carnival has to offer this year, from the fashion, to the food, the races and famous faces.READ MORE: Nicole Kidman's public message to Keith Urban on stageAs for what's next for the Aussie legend, it's a whole lot of rest and relaxation."I'm going to clear my calendar and just relax. Go to the beach, do things for myself and spend time with the people that I love," she says."You really can't prioritise that when you're training, so I'm looking forward to having time for that in my life."Then she plans to throw herself back into charitable and social projects in 2025, hoping to have an impact not just in the pool but in wider Australian society as well.FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.