Mack Horton’s New Chapter: From Olympic Glory to SAS Australia and Fatherhood
Mack Horton, the 29-year-old Australian swimmer, is currently navigating a whirlwind of challenges. While he’s taking on the brutal trials of SAS Australia vs England, he’s also embracing the most demanding chapter of his life: fatherhood.
The former Olympic champion welcomed his first child, a son named Gideon, with his wife Ella in January 2026. Since then, the couple has been adjusting to the fast-paced world of parenthood. “I’m loving [fatherhood]. We’re four months in. Sleep’s going okay,” Horton shared with New Idea.
“I don’t know what I used to do with all my time before, to be honest. The days are longer and they’re non-stop. I almost struggle to remember SAS or even anything pre-baby, it’s like this point in time where whatever happened before then doesn’t land in your brain or matter anymore.”
Despite the chaos, Horton has managed to balance his new role as a father with his participation in SAS Australia. Although the show is only just airing, he filmed it back in July 2025 — during the early stages of Ella’s pregnancy. This explains why the experience feels like a blur to him now.
The intense military-style bootcamp he endured on SAS Australia may have prepared him for the sleepless nights that come with being a new parent. However, Horton had an unexpected start on the show when he wet himself during the first 10 minutes after being ambushed in a car and black bagged.
Alongside his 13 co-stars, Horton was taken to a bridge, but the situation proved too overwhelming. He ended up wetting himself in front of his co-stars and the instructors. When speaking to New Idea, Horton playfully rebranded the moment, insisting it wasn’t an accident due to fear, but rather a deliberate act.
“I’m rebranding it from an accident! It’s a defiant wee,” he joked. “I was busting. It was day one, we’re in the desert, it’s 45 degrees. So I’ve been sitting as much as we could just to prepare myself for whatever was coming. And, you know, everybody is around the bus. I think I put my hand up at one point, hoping someone would take me to the loo. No one did. So, I thought bugger it. I’ve got to get it done otherwise I’m going to burst my bladder.”
Who is Mack Horton?
Mack Horton is a retired Australian swimmer who made a name for himself early in his career. He won gold in the 1500m at the 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships before becoming one of the country’s most celebrated distance freestylers.
His career highlight came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he claimed gold in the 400m freestyle — becoming the first male swimmer from Victoria to win individual Olympic gold. Horton added four Commonwealth Games gold medals to his haul across a decorated career that also included multiple World Championship and relay medals.
Off the back of his famous 2019 podium protest, he became equally well known as a fierce advocate for clean sport.
Which Australian Swimmer Refused to Stand on the Podium?
That would be Mack Horton!
During the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Horton famously called Chinese rival Sun Yang a “drug cheat” multiple times, in reference to his previous three-month anti-doping ban, sparking a significant international sporting controversy.
Then, at the 2019 World Championships in South Korea, Horton refused to share the podium with the Chinese swimmer after the 400m freestyle medal ceremony, in a silent protest against doping in sport. Sun Yang was embroiled in a long-running doping controversy and was later handed a ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The formerly banned swimmer has since returned to competitive swimming.
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Why Did Mack Horton Retire?
Horton announced his retirement in January 2024, six months before the Paris Olympics. “I dearly wanted to swim in Paris, but the hunger wasn’t there,” he told Swimming Australia at the time. “I always want to give my all, and I am not someone who just wants to make up the numbers, so this is the right time to step away.”
He walked away as one of the most respected figures the sport has produced.
Who is Mack Horton Married To?
Mack married his childhood sweetheart, Ella Walter, in September 2023. The couple has been together since 2015 and got engaged in January 2022. Horton has described Ella, a nurse, as “the secret to his swimming success.” They generally keep their relationship out of the spotlight, but she often features on his Instagram page.
Does Mack Horton Have Any Kids?
Yes — Mack and Ella welcomed their first child, a son named Gideon, in January 2026. “We are so grateful and thrilled to share the birth of our beautiful boy Gideon,” the couple shared on an Instagram post announcing his birth.
What Is Mack Horton Doing Now?
Mack is about to take on a very different challenge — SAS Australia 2026. He’ll join fellow Olympian Emily Seebohm, cricketer Brad Hodge, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Neighbours star Ryan Moloney, Jessika Power, and Axle Whitehead as part of the Australian celebrity lineup.
They’ll go up against a British cast including Love Island’s Dani Dyer and Gabby Allen, rugby player Ben Cohen, cricketer Graeme Swann, and Gladiator star Toby Olubi — with chief instructor Billy Billingham back to put them all through their paces.
