Tokyo Olympics 2021: Ariarne Titmus’ father says she’s as tough as cricket legend David Boon

Ariarne Titmus’ dad played cricket with David Boon and he reckons there are only two people as tough as the Test legend: his wife and Australia’s golden girl.

As tough as Boonie … you better believe it.

Steve Titmus opened the batting with rugged cricket legend David Boon in Launceston but quips he knows two other Tasmanians who are just as tough.

One of them he married and the other one is his daughter who has just become a national hero.

Titmus and wife Robyn watched in awe as their daughter dethroned Ledecky.

In a departure from usual broadcasting, the NBC footage into the United States included scenes from the parents hub, such was the fascination with the duel.

Steve sat down at the start of the race and a nervous knee wobble was the only sign of tension. The room stayed relatively subdued as Ledecky broke away.

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Steve Titmus says his daughter Ariarne is as tough as Test legend and fellow Tasmanian David Boon.

Robyn whispered “c’mon Arnie’’ as the gap narrowed and the room rose as one and roared to life at the 300m mark as the home girl challenged then passed the United States superstar.

“I’ve lost my voice,’’ a tearful and suddenly croaky Steve said after the race.

Inevitably, discussion centred on the origins of Ariarne’s toughness and coolness under pressure and how she could have such remarkable poise and power at such a young age.

“Robyn was a sprinter and there is no-one more competitive in the world than my wife,’’ said Steve.

“But we are in awe of Arnie’s ability to control her emotions. And staying focused. It is extraordinary how she has got such an old head on a 20-year-old body. It is amazing. She has beaten one of the greatest swimmers in the world and to think she is your child is unbelievable.

“Our role as parents we have always believed is to provide you kids with a stable environment so they can concentrate on chasing their dreams. ‘’

Steve, formerly a news reader in Launceston, decided the family should pack up at short notice and move to Queensland to further his daughter’s career.

He had been well settled in his home town and his fond memories include playing with Boon in club cricket.

“I remember once opening with Boonie and he scored a century and I made 17 because he hogged all the strike!’’

Steve said he has always believed if you have a dream you should chase it and that was part of the reason for the move north.

“I look back now and think it was a bigger decision in hindsight than at the time,’’ Robyn said.

“I am so glad we did move because this may not have happened. Thanks goodness we gave her that opportunity.

“It probably took us six months to make the decision. She was named on a world junior team and we worked out the timing of it all and it just had to happen.’’

Robyn urged her daughter to play some ACDC to wind her up for the big race and she chose their iconic single It’s A Long Way To The Top.

It was the right choice for the right race because, while still so young, it was still a long road to the summit.

And the journey was all the sweeter for that.

Titmus was too good for Ledecky in the 400m final. Picture: Getty Images

Why Aussie parents’ mascot is called ‘Sholto’

The father of Olympic sensation Ariarne Titmus has paid an emotional tribute to the one missing face he would have loved to have shared his daughter’s win with.

The Boxing Kangaroo which is the mascot of the Australian parents and friends assembly in Noosa has been named Sholto in honour of Sholto McKeown who died after a two year battle with brain cancer last August.

Sholto was the father of boomer younger Kaylee who will swim for gold in the 100m backstroke on Tuesday morning.

The naming suggestion came from the new partner of Sholto’s wife Sharon and Titmus gave an emotional speech to the group paying tribute to Sholto, a devoted swim parent.

Parents of the Aussie swimmers have paid tribute to Sholto McKeown, father of Queensland swimmers Taylor and Kaylee McKeown, who died after a two-year battle with brain cancer. Picture: Peter Wallis

“It was Scott’s idea and we thought it was only fitting to have the Boxing Kangaroo because Sholto was such a beautiful human being and a man who we got to know and share so many wonderful memories in the grandstand,’’ Titmus said.

“It was fitting we had him in the room with us so what better way to do it was to have our Boxing Kangaroo named after him.’’

Titmus arrived at the night session viewing on Monday wearing a gold jacket given to him by wealthy benefactor Stuart Giles who said he would supply one to the parents of every gold medallist.

Giles owns Makepeace Island where the parents visited on Monday afternoon.

Steve and Robyn Titmus pop the champagne. Picture: Patrick Woods

Four words from mum that sum up Titmus gold

Robyn Titmus spoke for all of Australia in the seconds after her daughter Ariarne took gold over American superstar Katie Ledecky in a thrilling, come-from-behind victory.

“God she can race,’’ the overwhelmed mum said.

“I’m just so proud of her. That 100m, the last hundred. God she can race.’’

Ariarne’s family – Robyn, dad Steve and younger sister Mia – watched the race with a group of other Australian families from Noosa, prevented from travelling to Japan by Covid restrictions.

With swimming great Dawn Fraser standing alongside and wearing green and yellow “It’s Tokyo time’’ T-shirts, they agonised over every stroke of the 400m freestyle event, the crowd in Noosa erupting in cheers and tears as the 20-year-old touched the wall first.

It must have been the longest three minutes 56.59 seconds of their life.

“I can’t believe it,’’ a teary and near-speechless Steve, usually an eloquent journalist, said in the seconds after her win.

“I’ve lost my voice. I cannot believe it. Wow. Unbelievable. Just quite extraordinary. She’s done it. She’s actually done it. Wow.’’

Steve and Robyn with daughter Mia watch the ceremony. Picture: Patrick Woods

The Titmus family moved from their home in Launceston in northern Tasmania to Brisbane in 2015 so Ariarne could chase her Olympic dream by getting access to high-performance coaches and facilities, and supported Ariarne on her relentless march to the top of world swimming.

The trio shared a tearful group hug after the win, with more hugs from Fraser and other swimming parents in the room.

Robyn, who clutched a yellow boxing kangaroo and an Australian flag as she cheered her daughter home, said Ariarne never gave up.

“She so deserves this. I’m so delighted for them,’’ she said.

Back in Tokyo, Titmus said she expected her dad to be crying.

“My mum is the most competitive person I know. I get this competitiveness from her. But, yeah, I know that dad would be probably crying, he’s a bit of a softie,” she said.

“I just want to thank them for everything. None of this would be possible without them. Moving to Brisbane to train. Not just my parents, my sister, my boyfriend, my entire family and cousins and their partners and my aunty and her partner up in Noosa as well. Big support around me. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Dawn Fraser and Judy McLoughlin watch on as Titmus swims.

Legend Dawn reduced to tears

Swim legend Dawn Fraser was reduced to tears as she lauded Titmus’ gold medal as one of Australia’s greatest Olympic pool triumphs.

“It is top of the class,’’ said Fraser, who rose from her seat to cheer Titmus home.

“I certainly had tears in my eyes. That was one of the great wins. I liked the fact she swam her own race.

“It was the 400m and she beat the world record holder and to come out and do it at a young age in her first Olympic says a lot about her and our Dolphins.

“She is very cool. I like her perseverance. She Swims her own race and does not get distracted.’’

In a nice moment during the broadcast after the swim, the scenes in Noosa were streamed to Titmus on the pool deck to show our newly crowned champ her family back home.

“Dawn Fraser,” were the first words Titmus uttered when she saw the swimming champion sitting next to her family, seemingly shocked that Fraser was watching on.

Tracey Stockwell, a three time gold medalist for the United States at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, was also at the parents hub and similarly impressed.

Olympic legend Dawn Fraser watches the race with Ariarne’s sister Mia, and parents Steve and Robyn. Picture: Patrick Woods

“Amazing,’’ Stockwell said.

“It was always like replay of the world championships where she did the same thing. I knew Ariarne had the speed but I thought Katie might have had the endurance.

“But she stuck to her race plan beautifully. She is such a racer.’’

Former Olympian and experienced coach Andrew Baildon was also impressed by the way Titmus stuck to her game plan.

“She just showed enormous maturity to stick to her own plan,’’ Baildon said.

“That takes a lot because racing someone like Katie Ledecky can be very daunting.

“And yet she didn’t panic or change her plan even though she was behind and held something back for the end of the race. And she even went up and eyeballed Ledecky at the end of the race.’’

Stockwell added: “That was very interesting because Katie would not be used to it happening. Normally Katie would be well out in front by then.’’

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2021: Ariarne Titmus’ father says she’s as tough as cricket legend David Boon