Aussie Olympics star Ariarne Titmus opens up about the shocking incident that almost killed her as soon as she was born

Australian Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus has revealed she fought for every breath as she was born with her umbilical cord around her neck.

Ariarne grew up in a beautiful four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Chelmer, a suburb of Brisbane after the family moved from Launceston, Tasmania, where she was born.

Her father, Steve, is well known in Queensland as a presenter on Channel Seven Gold Coast News, while her mother, Robyn, works as a recruitment consultant.

But their idyllic lifestyle almost took a dramatic turn when Ariarne was born.

Her family said their joy quickly turned to fear when she was born blue and motionless because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck.

Ariarne needed an oxygen mask immediately as she was gasping for breath. A video taken by her father shows a doctor administering medication to her.

Steve is convinced that surviving the life-threatening experience has put an invisible shield around the Olympic gold medalist.

“We really believe that first hour shaped her mindset for life,” he said. News Corp.

“That was the beginning of her character as a fighter for life. It’s almost like she would never give up from that moment on.”

Ariarne Titmus (pictured with her parents and sister Mia) is known for her fighting spirit in and out of the pool

Ariarne (pictured with her mother Robyn) has always been a water rat since her difficult arrival into the world

Ariarne agrees.

“I really believe in those things,” she said.

“I believe there’s something inside me that got me going that day. I couldn’t have made it, but I believe I’ve carried that with me my whole life. I feel like I have that fight when I’m racing and in life. I’m really grateful to be here.”

As the Tasmanian swimmer prepares to compete in the Paris Olympics, Steve often thinks back to those first fateful minutes.

Ariarne’s fight for survival is a testament to the determination and tenacity with which she has overcome many challenges, including recent health challenges.

After winning two gold medals at the World Swimming Championships, Ariarne discovered last year during an MRI scan of her painful hip that she had benign tumors on her ovaries.

In August, she underwent surgery to remove the tumors and she says it changed her thinking.

“That was probably the best thing that could have happened to me, honestly,” she said.

‘I’m only young once and I want to make the most of this moment in my life.’

Titmus will have the hopes of a nation on her shoulders as she prepares to defend her titles at the Paris Olympics

The Australian swimming legend gave it his all, mentally and physically, at the Tokyo Olympics

The 23-year-old Olympic hopeful is determined to seize every opportunity and enjoy every moment.

“The opportunity for me to be in the Olympics, not only being an Olympian but also fighting for medals and gold medals, is very rare,” she said.

“I just want to take every opportunity I can and enjoy the moment. When I was younger, I was always looking forward to the next thing, but now that I’m getting older, I try to dive into the moment more and enjoy it.”

In Paris, Titmus will attempt to become the first Australian woman to defend her Olympic title since the great Dawn Fraser did so more than half a century ago.

Her journey to the Tokyo Olympics was a gruelling ordeal that pushed her to breaking point both physically and mentally.

In 2021, she won gold in the 200 and 400 meter freestyle, silver in the 800 meter and a bronze medal in the 4×200 meter relay.

When her busy racing schedule was over, she was too exhausted to feel truly excited.

“The last time I experienced the Olympics was a blur for me,” Titmus said on the En Route to Paris podcast.

‘It was probably the most gruelling and exhausting week of my life. I was probably most proud of my performance in the 800m [where she finished second to fierce rival Katie Ledecky]to be honest.

When the race was over, it felt like I was in a pressure cooker. Then it was time to turn on the tap.

Reflecting on the end of her Olympic journey, she said: ‘I collapsed, my mind and body were completely relaxed for the first time in nine days. I just collapsed. It was the most surreal feeling; it was over and done.’