Ariarne Titmus, 20-year-old Australian swimmer is making her mark at her first-ever Olympics on Monday, edging out American champ Katie Ledecky to take gold in the women’s 400-meter freestyle competition.
Known as “Arnie,” Titmus ran a personal best in the race, clocking in at 3:56.69, ahead of Ledecky’s 3:57.36. With the final lap being a genuinely exciting neck-and-neck push to the finish line, Ledecky put up a good fight.
But Titmus’ remarkable win also gave viewers — and the internet — another unforgettable moment, the visual of her coach, Dean Boxall, going absolutely hog wild with GIFable joy up in the stands.
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/1419487919665041408
Absolutely hooting and hollering.
when the preworkout kicks in #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/xkU7zyF0gG
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2021
NBC’s commentators noted a resemblance to Back to the Future‘s Doc Brown.
Ariarne Titmus' gold medal, plus her coach with his wild hair going nuts and screaming in the crowd upstairs, early contender for best moment of the Games
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) July 26, 2021
This flash of joy and vindication is an apparent instant classic reaction that will live on the internet for years to come. It distills the spirit of so many iconic sports GIFs: Vince McMahon slumping back in his chair (yes, WWE counts, don’t @ me), Rob Ryan fist-pumping, the Buckle Up Baby hockey kid. All of them are in one. Boxall is clearly ready to tear down the stadium with his bare hands, fueled only by adrenaline and pride.
While we cannot recommend ripping your mask off to scream very much outside your heart in the heart of a pandemic, violently air-humping barriers, or terrifying inadequate facilities staffers who were undoubtedly not informed about how Australian men react to victory at sport, we can all recognize and relate to a moment of long-fought-for triumph.
One and the same??? https://t.co/gSnFLdBb5j pic.twitter.com/zjrPBfaPkq
— Jason Horowitz (@HorowitzJason) July 26, 2021
When the recipe comes out perfect the first time you test it. https://t.co/d6FFGhT0Kn
— Sense & Edibility (@EdibleSense) July 26, 2021
https://t.co/zx7QljEkod pic.twitter.com/J1XFJ1dHp3
— Danny Freeman (@DannyEFreeman) July 26, 2021
Need McConaughey SNL skit ASAP #TokyoOlympics https://t.co/ixecvyffsE
— Nathan O'Donnell (@nathanod3) July 26, 2021
Caption 2:
When the drums hit in “In The Air Tonight.” https://t.co/Vp5HfmrWGe— Jerod Smalley (@JerodNBC4) July 26, 2021
When the 7-day average of newly vaccinated is up 28% compared to the prior week: https://t.co/IKimXMN1HZ
— Benjy Renton (@bhrenton) July 26, 2021
Thank you to the camera operators who caught this moment and recorded it for posterity. And here’s hoping Boxall shouts that poor usher a drink once he’s out of Ultimate Warrior mode.
