Dean Boxall’s mother of all motivational plays as Ariarne Titmus chased Paris gold
Only Dean Boxall would have the nerve to try it – eight months out from Ariarne Titmus’ 400m defence, he found the perfect way to get her laser focused on gold, reveals ROBERT CRADDOCK.
It was the mother of all motivational ploys.
Only Dean Boxall would think of it. Only Dean Boxall would have the nerve to try it. Ariarne Titmus’s 400m win in Paris looked as predictable as the sunrise but last November coach Dean Boxall was worried and hatched a little plan to toss an acorn on her seat.
She had secretly told him that one of her life’s great missions was to become a mother. And so boldly and cheekily wanted to channel that desire – just for the moment – into her push for Paris.
At News Corps’ Future Brisbane lunch last November a challenge was issued before 200 captivated lunch goers.
“I know how much you want to be a mother and how great you would be at it – I know you would eat all the right foods, give away the deli and give it everything,’’ he said. “I want you over the next eight months to put that commitment into your swimming.
“What are you going to do?’’
Titmus laughed but she got the point. Her life had become big and busy. She had to somehow stay lean and hungry. And somehow she did that powering to a win that made her only the second woman in history to take the 400m twice.
Boxall roused Titmus by reminding her that 6000 people had climbed Mt Everest but only 25 women have won the 400m. He threw everything her way – statistics, stories, deep down knowing she was so good she would probably get there anyway given her Winx like record of being unbeaten in the race for five years.
He even urged her not be the domestic cat. “Don’t be the cat that gets the whiskers,’’ he said. “Be the hungry one you used to be out in the cold, hungry and chasing the mouse.’’
Boxall was worried about her climbing the mountain but she did it with skates on.
The only mistake she made was when she came on the pooldeck and went to lane four.
She’s owned that lane for four years. She left out her gear in the box behind the lane four block and had an intense but comical moment when she realised that – just for once – she was not the fastest qualifier and Katie Ledecky owned that lane for one night only.
In the morning session Titmus sent a little message Ledecky’s way when she stared sideways in her direction as they were getting ready to race.
Ledecky looked away. Then, in the final, quite mysteriously, the opposite happened. Ledecky obviously decided she would not be intimidated and looked at Titmus – who was looking in the other direction.
Titmus’ mood never seems to change. She is such a cool killer. After heats she presents the same every time, smiling and relaxed. It just destroys her opponents because they never see her flustered.
Her father Steve, mother Robyn and sister Mia embraced her as one when she did a victory lap. They are a tight family who gave up everything to move to Queensland from Tasmania with no guarantees of a job.
And, just like Winx, they hit the jackpot.
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