Dean Boxall reveals how Ariarne Titmus beat Katie Ledecky and the emotion behind his victory dance at Tokyo Olympic Games

One of the most famous faces of the Olympics Dean Boxall breaks his silence over Ariarne Titmus’ race of the century win while explaining the emotion behind his famous victory dance.

One of the most famous faces of the Olympics Dean Boxall breaks his silence over Ariarne Titmus’ race of the century win while explaining the emotion behind his famous victory dance.

Titmus defeated the greatest middle distance of all-time, USA’s Katie Ledecky, in the 400m and 200m freestyle, victories which led to a remarkable post race celebration by Boxall (after the 400m) and then tears of relief from Titmus after her 200m triumph 24 hours later.

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“You know how a bomb is calm and then it goes off,’’ Boxall said.

“She had to be calm like a bomb and right at the end she exploded.

Coach Dean Boxall of Team Australia reacts to Ariarne Titmus' gold medal win. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

“She was a double Olympic champion. It was the toughest mountain to climb and she had done it.

“She was very good at containing her emotions, but she could see her dream had come alive.’’

In relation to his own victory dance which went viral after Titmus’ 400m triumph, Boxall said “it was just a release’’.

“It is unbelievable pressure and people felt the pressure just sitting on their couches at home.

“But we are living it every day,’’ he said.

Boxall said the irony about his roaring, fist pumping celebration was that “I am way worse than that,’’ he laughed.

“I was the author of this race for Arnie who executed it to near perfection.

“I saw it unfold, I had written it out.

Australia's Ariarne Titmus wins gold in the Women's 400m Freestyle final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Pics Adam Head

“Basically it was scripted and written and spoken and verballed how it must be done, so to watch that, something we have put so much into every single day at training, to watch it unfold, that is why there is a relief.’’

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He said the build-up to the Ledecky-Titmus Olympic showdown started in 2019 when a six person NBC crew - broadcasters of the Games - arrived in Brisbane to do a story on Titmus.

“We couldn’t hide from it, but we knew we were the underdog because Katie is a GOAT.

Susie O'Neill at Olympics with Ariarne Titmus and Dean Boxall Picture: Instagram

“We wanted to take in that underdog tag, the battler, the fighter and have a red hot crack.’’

He said although there were no crowds during to COVID restrictions, “there was an atmosphere, tension in the air’’.

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“It was the Olympics, but we could come in under cover, covertly and attack.’’

Boxall said he was more nervous for the 200m race because “we were the favourites. We were the hunted’’.

Boxall said his journey would not have been possible without the Alan Humphries and Vlad Fodor (UQ Swimming) giving him his start, without his wife Andrea, St Peters foursome Maxine Seers, Shaun Nodwell, Jodie and Bevan Slattery and “my three pillars Scott Volkers, Michael Bohl and Stephan Widmer’’ who mentored his coaching.

He said his wife Andrea was simply extraordinary, studying to be a lawyer while raising their two children.