Dhaka, Oct. 17 -- Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus announced her immediate retirement from swimming on Thursday, calling it a "really tough" decision as she was lauded as "a living legend".

The 25-year-old Australian had been on an extended break since the Paris Olympics but had previously said she planned to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

"A tough one, a really tough one, but one that I'm really happy with," she said on Instagram. "I've always loved swimming, it's been my passion since I was a little girl.

"But I guess I've taken this time away from the sport and realised some things in my life that have always been important to me are just a little bit more important to me now than swimming, and that's okay." ...