Olympian Ariarne Titmus shot to fame after her stunning performances in the pool at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
But the 20-year-old says the moment was marred by negative comments about her coach, Dean Boxall.
The enthusiastic Boxall was slammed as displaying ‘toxic masculinity’ by some after his over the top reaction to her incredible gold medal victory.
Sunning: Olympian Ariarne Titmus shot to fame after her stunning performances in the pool at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Pictured in this week’s issue of Stellar
‘It’s really disrespectful to me for people to say that,’ she told Stellar Magazine on Saturday.
‘It’s really uncalled for. I’m the person who works with him, and I know 100 per cent that’s not at all what it is.’
Titmus stormed home to win gold in the 400m freestyle over America’s greatest ever female swimmer Katie Ledecky, with Boxall’s crazy celebrations being broadcast across the globe.
Critics: The enthusiastic Boxall (pictured) was slammed as displaying ‘toxic masculinity’ by some after his over the top reaction to her incredible gold medal victory
No thanks: ‘It’s really disrespectful to me for people to say that,’ Ariane said. ‘It’s really uncalled for. I’m the person who works with him, and I know 100 per cent that’s not at all what it is’
He ripped his face mask off and started running up and down the stands before screaming and gyrating as a staff member panicked in the background.
Boxall, who Titmus and her family relocated from Tasmania to Queensland for him to be the prodigy’s coach, was caught on cameras of broadcasts around the world stalking the pool as she approached the wall for her first gold medal.
‘I mean he is going crazy. Oh my goodness, haha! He’s like putting on a show like Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones or something,’ the commentator said as he burst through barriers and threw his mask.
Very energetic: As Titmus stormed home to win gold in the 400m freestyle, Boxall’s crazy celebrations were broadcast across the globe. He ripped his face mask off and started running up and down the stands before screaming and gyrating
Boxall grabbed onto a glass barrier and shook it as he gyrated into the railing.
He then punched the air and screamed at the pool as a startled Japanese Olympic worker nervously tried to encourage him back into his section.
The coach was later overcome with emotion and wiped away tears while Titmus took to the podium to accept her gold medal.
Winner: The swimmer cleaned up at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, winning gold in the women’s 400m freestyle and women’s 200m freestyle. Pictured winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics
Sad moment: Ariane admitted she wept with regret after winning bronze in the 200m freestyle relay. ‘I was pretty disappointed with how I swam for the team,’ she said
Elsewhere in the interview, Ariane admitted she wept with regret after winning bronze in the 200m freestyle relay.
‘I was pretty disappointed with how I swam for the team,’ she told the publication.
‘After we got our medal, I came back to the team room and burst into tears. But that was really the only time that I felt I had to kind of pull myself together.’
Tears: ‘After we got our medal, I came back to the team room and burst into tears. But that was really the only time that I felt I had to kind of pull myself together’ she said
However overall the athlete admits, ‘Obviously winning and being on the podium was a feeling like no other.’
The blonde swimmer starred in a stunning photo shoot for Stellar’s issue this week, posing in a suitably gold-toned high fashion gown on the cover.
Inside the magazine, she flaunted her good looks as she posed in a retro sweater and short-shorts on the beach.
Good feeling: However overall the athlete admits, ‘Obviously winning and being on the podium was a feeling like no other’
Ariarne cleaned up at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, winning gold in the women’s 400m freestyle and women’s 200m freestyle.
She also won silver in the women’s 800m freestyle and bronze in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
After the Olympics, she remarked: ‘What a crazy journey it’s been’.
Wow! The blonde swimmer starred in a stunning photo shoot for Stellar’s issue this week, posing in a suitably gold-toned high fashion gown on the cover