‘These are happy tears’: Silver lining for emotional Ariarne Titmus at Paris Olympics

Ariarne Titmus was reduced to tears as she tried to reconcile her mixed emotions after claiming a silver medal behind training partner Mollie O’Callaghan.

Ariarne Titmus shows off her silver medal. Picture: AFP

Even in defeat, Ariarne Titmus is still the people’s champion.

Whether she’s winning gold or silver, everything she’s done at the Paris Olympics has been out of this world.

Every Australian who watched her win the 200m-400m freestyle double at the last Olympics at Tokyo during the pandemic already knows she has the heart of a lion.

And although she was narrowly beaten by her training partner Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200m final after successfully defending her 400m gold, what she’s achieved in the French capital this week has still eclipsed what she did in Japan.

Don’t be surprised if there’s expectant parents back in Australia planning to name their newborn daughters after Ariarne because it’s a name that should inspire everyone even though she was reduced to tears as she tried to reconcile her mixed emotions.

“These are happy tears, honestly,” she said.

Ariarne Titmus was narrowly beaten by her training partner Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200m freestyle final. Picture: Getty Images

“I don’t know. It’s really hard to hold your emotions in these situations.

“I know what it’s like to be Olympic champion. I’m honestly happy for her. And I’m really happy to be on the podium.”

Although she didn’t win gold, Titmus still got to stand on the top of the podium after O’Callaghan called her up and placed a consolation arm around her waist for the playing of Advance Australia Fair.

“I had nothing to lose tonight,” Titmus said.

“I’m Olympic champion forever in the 200m and the 400m and I gave it everything.

“I don’t actually know why I’m crying. I’m really happy with silver. It’s hard to hold it in, and so it’s just coming out now.”

Ariarne Titmus joined Mollie O'Callaghan on the podium. Picture: Getty Images

There was no shame in losing to O’Callaghan because she’s a superstar herself, who might yet turn out to be Australia’s greatest Olympian.

Just 20, O’Callaghan already has four Olympic gold medals.

By claiming silver in the 200m, the Tasmanian has matched what Ian Thorpe did when he was swimming for the Dolphins - winning two gold medals in the 400m plus a gold and silver in the 200m.

And the Terminator isn’t finished with Paris yet.

Ariarne Titmus still has more to come at the Paris Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

She still has the 800m freestyle to come — in which she won silver in Tokyo — and the 4x200m relay, where she will team up with O’Callaghan for what seems like another certain gold medal for the Aussies.

O’Callaghan was the long-time favourite to win in France after she beat Titmus at last year’s world championships in Fukuoka, breaking the world record in the process.

But Titmus turned the tables on her St Peters Western club teammate at the Australian trials and took her world record in the process, leaving O’Callaghan sobbing and raising questions about whether she was as mentally as tough as the Terminator. It turns out she was.

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Titmus was still in second spot when she turned for the final sprint home and while she clawed her way in front of tearaway leader Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, she couldn’t hold off O’Callaghan, whose closing lap of 27.98 was two-thirds quicker than hers. Titmus touched in 1:53.81, more than half a second behind O’Callaghan, who set a new Olympic record of 1:53.27.

The two Aussies embraced at the end of the race.