How marathon helped Olympian Elle Armit rediscover her competitive streak

After the incredible highs of taking home a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Elle Armit quickly came crashing back to down Earth in the weeks which followed. She reveals how she found the competitive outlet she needed after the post-Olympic hangover.

Australian Women's Water Polo player Elle Armit poses during an Australian 2024 Paris Olympic Games Water Polo Squad portrait session. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Armit will swap swap the pool for the pavement this weekend when she takes on the Gold Coast half-marathon on Saturday.

Currently on a break from water polo before she returns to the sport to prepare for the LA 2028 Games, the Paris silver medallist has taken to running to keep her competitive spirit alive.

“After the Olympics I signed up to do a 10k at the Gold Coast 50 with my friend,” Armit said.

“Then after we did that last year, I needed something to set my sights on and have a goal now that I’ve taken a break from water polo.

“So everyone was like ‘if you can do 10, you can do 21’.”

Despite having elite level fitness, which has seen her compete at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, the transition to running has been far from easy for the Queensland schoolteacher.

Armit said pushing herself to continue to run further distances has been one of the biggest mental challenges she has faced since signing up for the half-marathon.

“I got a running coach to help me because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do this on my own,” she said.

“I’m now doing 18km runs and I would never dream of doing that six months ago.

“Even though I’m an elite athlete, this is something new and I’m starting again.

“So I have to take it slow and celebrate those small wins and just remind myself that every single week.”

Armit shed light on the post-Olympic hangover which severely impacts athletes after they spend four years chasing a dream which ends in a blink of an eye before starting all over again.

Olympian Elle Armit prepares for the 2025 Gold Coast half-marathon. Picture: Supplied.

“Post Olympic depression is a real thing and it happens to a lot of us,” she said.

“Your whole life revolves around yourself and the Olympics being your major goal and once you reach it, it’s like well what now?

“There isn’t the continued fanfare and excitement that you expect when you get home and while there is a little bit, it runs out quite quickly.”

While she has enjoyed the opportunity to take a break form the endless grind of ensuring she is in peak condition to earn selection for the Olympics, Armit is excited to return to the water after her half-marathon.

“I’m still kind of mapping that out for myself, but I definitely want to get back into the pool really soon,” she said.

“My next kind of goal after this half-marathon is to get back in and start swimming again and get my fitness back up to hopefully play Premier League in Queensland and then national league next year.”

Originally published as How marathon helped Olympian Elle Armit rediscover her competitive streak