Lessons in success, from a four-time Olympic champion

Marina Gainulina
and
Sarah Williamson
11:30am June 03 2025

Ariarne Titmus knows pressure. At just 24, she’s already a four-time Olympic gold medallist and one of Australia’s most decorated athletes. But it’s her mindset, not her medals, that have really won the world over.

“I've always been unafraid of chasing big goals. The worst that can happen is you try your best and don't achieve it, but the person you become along the way is more important. 

“Setting a goal is a skill,” she says. “It’s not just one big goal, but thousands of smaller ones that lead to it.”

It’s a refreshing attitude in a world obsessed with immediacy, an antithesis to the idea of being an ‘overnight success’. For Titmus, greatness is in the minutiae and in structure: daily training sessions, being a stickler for detail and possessing an unabashed commitment to the process. Each swimming session is “money in the bank,” she says.

Momentum, she adds, is a muscle. “Consistency and momentum are the hardest things to catch,” she says. “But they’re key to achieving your goals.”

Her success hasn’t come from a single breakthrough moment, but from years of showing up, doing the work, and staying the course. When a shoulder injury threatened her Tokyo Olympic campaign, she shifted her execution, but never the aim. 

She focused on what she could control - her turns, her kicks and her mindset. “Turning things into a positive is my best advice,” she says. It’s little wonder her affectionate moniker is ‘The Terminator’, although perhaps ‘The Determinator’ would be even more apt.

Then there’s her rivalry with American swimming icon Katie Ledecky - a storyline that’s captivated fans around the world. But Titmus doesn’t see Ledecky as a threat. She sees her as a catalyst, one that she is grateful for.

“Beating the greatest of all time is much more satisfying than if they weren’t in the field,” she says. “Without Katie, I wouldn’t be the athlete I am.”

At the heart of her success is trust, especially with her coach, Dean Boxall. Their partnership is built on more than tactics and training plans. It’s built on belief.

“People without that level of trust don’t have the same results,” she says. “We believe in each other.”

And then there’s her mindset. Titmus admits she is unapologetically driven - something she was once teased for.

“In school, the ‘try hard’ label is prominent,” she says. “But in the real world, a strong work ethic is sought after.”

Her advice to young professionals? Don’t shrink to fit in. “If others have a problem with your ambition, that’s their problem.”

Titmus credits her family for keeping her centred. “Being an athlete is a selfish pursuit,” she says. “I can’t wait to give more of myself to the people I love.” Although she’s enjoying her well-deserve break from competing at the highest level over the past 12 months, fans can look forward to her return to competitive swimming ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

As for life after the pool? Titmus is thinking about legacy. “I love telling my story and helping people relate to me,” she says. “I’ve learned how to work hard, and it’s a skill that will help me in whatever I do after swimming."

Marina Gainulina

Marina Gainulina (she/her) is a Content Producer for Westpac Wire. Graduating with a Bachelor of Communications & Media (Journalism) degree, Marina has spent a decade as a lifestyle journalist and luxury marketer, crafting commercial and editorial content for global brands including Tiffany & Co., Hugo Boss, NIVEA and GRAZIA.

Sarah Williamson

Sarah Williamson is a video producer for Westpac Wire. Sarah joined the team in 2024 bringing with her nearly a decade of experience across all aspects of video production. She's worked with high profile companies including Canva and Lego.

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