Ariarne Titmus is now the hunted and not the hunter, not that it worries her ahead of the Paris Olympics

In Tokyo, three years ago, it was a case of chasing down the great Katie Ledecky and proving herself on the Olympic stage. At Paris, the wheel has turned completely for Ariarne Titmus.

For Ariarne Titmus, the transition from hunter to the hunted is now complete.

Unbeaten over 400m freestyle since 2018, the Aussie swim legend doesn’t lose a wink of sleep anymore worrying about her rivals.

She used to, especially when she was trying to catch and beat American legend Katie Ledecky, but that’s not the case these days because she’s the one giving them nightmares now.

“In my early days as a swimmer, when I first made my mark on the team, you could say a lot, because she was the one I had to beat. She was constantly on my mind,” Titmus said from the Australian team’s training camp in Chartres.

“But honestly, not really (any longer) because, I know that my best forward is the best, so I’m just going to do that, put my best foot forward.

“I think if you start worrying or getting anxious or too nervous, it just burns energy that’s unnecessary.

“There’s no point worrying about any of that. All we can do is put our best foot forward every day at training, rest, eat well, stay in a positive mindset. It’s no magic solution, no magic wave of the wand. It’s pretty simple.”

Ariarne Titmus speaks to the media from their base at Chartres outside of Paris. Picture: Adam Head

The ‘Terminator’s’ acceptance of where she now sits is not arrogance or misplaced confidence. It’s the plain and simple truth that comes with being the best in the world.

She won the 200m-400m double at the last Olympics at Tokyo in 2021 and currently holds the world records in both events so is heading into Paris knowing she has done the work and ticked the boxes to perform well.

“As an athlete I’ve grown a lot in three years and as a person I’ve grown more,” she said.

“Mentally I’ve got so many learnings from the last Olympic Games. I know that this is going to be different with it being with big crowds, which I’m very, very excited for.

“But I think as an athlete, all together as a whole, I’m in a better position than three years ago as an older athlete. But I’m being honest in saying, I think I’ve prepared the best I ever have for a swim meet.

“More than anything, I’m just excited to see what I’m capable of at the end of the day. Of course, I’m racing for our country and for the swim team and for myself and my family, but it’s about trying to get the best out of yourself.

“That’s why I still swim. Because I believe I’ve got more in the tank. And so, that’s my goal at these Games, is to try and get every bit of every skerrick out of myself and see what I’m capable of.”

Ariarne Titmus beat American Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

While that wasn’t her intention, her last comments were a blunt reminder to her major rivals about her mindset going into Paris.

The 400m is already shaping as one of the biggest races in the French capital because she’ll go head to head against American legend Katie Ledecky and Canadian teenage sensation Summer McIntosh.

And unlike some swimmers who freeze in the big moments, Titmus always excels in the pressure situations.

Summer McIntosh is one of the biggest threats to Titmus in the 400 metres freestyle. Picture: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

“Out of all my races, I know how to race it the best, and I’m just excited to see what I can put together on the world stage,” Titmus said.

“I think the boost you get from racing in high pressure environments is exciting. I haven’t had that since worlds last year, so I’m excited to see what I’m able to put together.

“I really don’t think about the result or the magnitude of what an Olympic Games is. I just think about putting together eight great laps.”

Ledecky and McIntosh have both pulled out of the 200m after Titmus broke the world record at last month’s Australian trials.

In addition to the 400m, Ledecky is also swimming the 800m and 1500m while McIntosh also has the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley, so it was no surprise they both dropped the 200m.

And Titmus still has other big threats to contend with in her St Peters Western club partner Mollie O’Callaghan and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey.

Ariarne Titmus and her teammate Mollie O'Callaghan both went under the old 200m freestyle world record at the Australian Olympic trials. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“My toughest competitor I train with every day. So that’s a massive task in itself,” Titmus said.

“And there’s still an incredible field in the 200m freestyle. I know that Siobahn’s going to be there and there’s other women that are going to create an incredible final for us.

“The fact that those two have had to pull out, I don’t think changes anything for me. It doesn’t change the way I want to swim the race. So it doesn’t change anything for me, really. My job is just to get to that final and give it a red hot crack.”

Originally published as Ariarne Titmus is now the hunted and not the hunter, not that it worries her ahead of the Paris Olympics