FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Swimming - Women's 800m Freestyle Final - Paris La Defense Arena, Nanterre, France - August 03, 2024. Katie Ledecky of United States celebrates winning gold and Ariarne Titmus of Australia celebrates winning silver. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Retiring Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus paid tribute to Katie Ledecky on Friday for being the "Goliath" she needed to topple to reach the peak in swimming.
In her first public appearance since calling time on her career on Thursday, the 25-year-old Australian said her coach Dean Boxall had cast the Ledecky rivalry in biblical terms.
"Dean said to me last night that when there was David and Goliath, God could have given David the crown, but He sent him Goliath and David had to beat him to get the crown," Titmus told reporters in Brisbane.
"I do believe that racing the best ever in Katie Ledecky was my Goliath. I'm so proud of the way I took that challenge on."
Titmus announced her arrival in swimming at the 2019 world championships when she took the American great's 400m freestyle crown.
Two years later, Titmus snatched Ledecky's Olympic title at Tokyo and successfully defended it at last year's Paris Games, beating the American and Canada's Summer McIntosh in a showdown dubbed "the race of the century".
The Tasmanian nicknamed "Terminator" also finished runner-up behind Ledecky in a classic 800 final at Paris.
Titmus said their rivalry had grown into friendship outside the pool and was touched that Ledecky was among the first to congratulate her on her retirement news.
"People talk about rivalries in sport, but you can leave everything in the pool and still be a good person when you're not racing," she said.
"Katie was one of the first people to send me a personal message — congratulating me, saying I'll be missed and thanking me for the challenge. I feel really proud of that relationship."
While 28-year-old Ledecky targets more Olympic glory at Los Angeles 2028, Titmus said she would continue to carve out a media career, having worked as a TV commentator during the swimming world championships in Singapore.
She also hoped to give back to the sport in mentoring roles right down to grass-roots level.
She said she had no regrets from her swimming career or about retiring at her peak, and doubted she could ever be swayed to return to the pool.
"Swimming has been everything to me. It's given me so many opportunities and ... experiences many don't get. Giving that up is tough," she said.
"But I also have the perspective of someone who's been at the top and done everything.
"I know what it's like to win Olympic gold. I can rationalise life without that now, and I'm content with that."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
