Ariarne Titmus is in ‘hibernation from life’ to do more than just defend her two golds in Paris

Swimming champion Ariarne Titmus is in the most important part of her Olympic preparations as she attempts to make herself the most ‘high performing vehicle possible’ and do more than just defend gold.

Ariarne Titmus calls it her hibernation from life.

The intense period in the Olympic cycle where nothing exists outside her home and the training pool.

So singular is the Titmus focus at this time of year, that no performances of her rivals on the other side of the world such as Summer McIntosh or Katie Ledecky - or the rivals on the other side of the lane such as Mollie O’Callaghan - can alter her path.

This right here is the mindset of a champion. A defending champion. An athlete hellbent on replicating Olympic gold medals and letting nothing stand in her way.

“Basically I am in hibernation from life other than swimming,” Titmus said.

“That is what I’m saying to friends that I just forget to text back. I’m like ‘oh my god I’m so sorry, I don’t not love you, I’m just really busy training.’

Ariarne Titmus is setting herself up for a massive Paris Games. Picture: AFP

“Basically on double (session) days I’m at the pool for 10 hours, that’s not just swimming but all consuming gym, bike, physio, massage.

“Basically doing everything you can. Your body is a vehicle and you’re trying to make it the most high performing vehicle possible.

“This is the most important time really.

“I think all of us are doing everything we can to be positioned really well.”

The biggest mistake anyone can make is to draw conclusions from performances at this time of year - especially at an event like the Australian Open Championships on the Gold Coast - when no athlete is tapered and every aspect of their training is geared towards the Olympic trials in seven weeks and the Games starting July 26.

But for Titmus, there is a comparison already that offers a glimpse at her improvement. Her 800m freestyle time was just over two seconds quicker than at this same time last year - and she was still filthy it wasn’t fast enough based on her training times.

Titmus defeated rival Katie Ledecky in July last year. Picture: Getty Images

In Friday night’s 400m freestyle final, her 3:59.13 was not only the fastest time in the world this year but also the first time she’d cracked the four minute barrier “in-season.”

It’s something Titmus admits bodes well for her year ahead and gives her confidence the little kick to keep pushing knowing all is tracking on target.

“I’m really happy with that, 3:59 is my best time in-season so it is looking good,” she said.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence from the work I’ve done in training but it’s another thing to put it together when you race.”

What we, and indeed her rivals, don’t know is exactly what stage Titmus is at in her preparation and whether she entered the meet coming off a heavy or even lighter training load.

Everything and anything can impact performances and times.

That is why Titmus has the blinkered goggles firmly on her head.

Only she and coach Dean Boxall know her true progress, the exact data that compares her 2024 preparation to any previous campaign.

It is also why, as Summer, Katie or Mollie drop world class times at various meets around the world or even in the same timed set in training, Titmus does not blink.

Nothing anyone else produces can impact the Titmus-Boxall Paris plan. If she needed motivation from rivals, well that’s the first sign she’s not 100 per cent committed to the cause.

Coach Dean Boxall and Ariarne Titmus are hoping to execute their big Paris plans. Picture: Michael Klein

“I’m kind of strange, when I was younger I was a massive swimming nerd and kept track of every meet going on and all the splits,” she explained.

“I don’t really watch it now.

“At training if there is a meet on in the US and people are talking about it, I don’t even know it was on.

“I will probably look at what the girls do, but it can’t change anything I am doing.

“If I was to sit there and go I saw one of the girls swim a really good time, I’ve got to train harder, well obviously then I’m not prepared the best I can for the Games.

“So I don’t think it will change anything for me. It can maybe add a little bit of fuel to the fire but I know I am doing the best I can and can only control what I am doing and hopefully that is good enough to swim really well.”