Ariarne Titmus wants to be the best she can be when confronting United States swim great Katie Ledecky at the Tokyo Pan Pacs

Ariarne Titmus may be confronting United States swimming great Katie Ledecky but she should have no higher expectations than simply being herself at the Pan Pacs which started in Tokyo yesterday.

Dean Boxall and Ariarne Titmus during a Dolphins team training camp in Cairns prior to the Pan Pacs. (AAP Image/Delly Carr, Swimming Australia)

Ariarne Titmus may be confronting United States swimming great Katie Ledecky but she should have no higher expectations than simply being herself at the Pan Pacs which start in Tokyo this week.

That is the opinion of Titmus’ coach Dean Boxall on the eve of the St Peters Western Swimming Club teenager going head to head with Ledecky.

An age 21 and with four more years of development under her belt, Ledecky is faster than the St Peters Lutheran College schoolgirl.

But Boxall said Titmus had not become consumed with opposing Ledecky, rather concentrating on the best she can be.

Ariarne Titmus. \ (AAP Image/David Mariuz)

“She (Ledecky) is the person that has changed the whole event. So you have a benchmark which is perfect,’’ Boxall said. “You mention the (Ledecky) swims) and the way that she trains, but Arnie is a great trainer. She is as tough as nails.

“So you just make her believe she is Ariarne Titmus. She is the one.’’

Titmus said she admired Ledecky. “She is someone I look up to. She is the pinnacle and it is an honour to race,’’ Titmus said.

“She is the best ever. Every time I get to race her it is very exciting.

“But I am, regardless of who I am racing, doing my best and seeing how I go.

“It will be exciting to race her at the Pan Pacs and see where everyone else is as well.

“I am just going to focus on myself and continue to do what has helped get me where I am. I can’t control what everyone else does. I just have to do my best.’’

Australian Swimming Team training at Tobruk Memorial Pool in Cairns. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

Titmus touched four minutes for the first time in her gold medal winning 400m effort at the Commonwealth Games in April and every time she hits the water there seems to be progress.

She swam a world class personal best in the 200m freestyle at the Games in a time which would have won a medal at the Rio Olympics.

Titmus she also claimed a marginal personal best in her 800m freestyle swim at the Commonwealth Games.