To see all of our 2021 Swammy Awards, click here.
2021 VIRAL VIDEO OF THE YEAR: DEAN BOXALL‘S CELEBRATION
After the one-year delay, the swimming calendar in 2021 was centered around the Tokyo Olympic Games, and fittingly, the sport’s most viral video of the year came during the competition.
With the world watching, Australian Ariarne Titmus and American Katie Ledecky had an epic head-to-head battle in the final of the women’s 400 freestyle during the second finals session from the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, with Titmus ultimately getting the better of her rival to win her first career Olympic gold medal.
After Titmus’ monumental victory, TV cameras panned over to her coach, Dean Boxall, who was overjoyed, to say the least, by the result.
Boxall essentially lost his mind after watching his swimmer dethrone the most dominant champion in the sport, and the clip of him celebrating post-race quickly made its way across the internet.
Note: Multiple clips included in case certain readers are unable to view some due to geo-restrictions.
Coach Dean Boxall is all of Australia watching Ariarne Titmus win the 400 free 🤣 pic.twitter.com/jyW9XsbAzT
— MySwimPro (@MySwimPro) July 26, 2021
I’ll have what Dean Boxall is having. pic.twitter.com/LlQoQ0cwWv
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) July 26, 2021
Dean Boxall 🇦🇺 is at it again.
Another gold for Ariarne Titmus means another amazing celebration from her coach.
WATCH: https://t.co/ZoPibtUgIT pic.twitter.com/FuQILM3w0N
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) July 28, 2021
Australian artist Alex Trevarthen even immortalized Boxall’s iconic moment with an oil painting.
View this post on Instagram
Boxall wasn’t done there, as Titmus won a second gold at the Games in the women’s 200 free, eliciting another, although more measured, celebration from the coach.
A reaction worthy of it’s own gold medal 🥇
Ariarne Titmus‘ coach Dean Boxall exemplifies what it means once again 🙌#7Olympis | #Tokyo2020 | #Swimming pic.twitter.com/Lq8gjUTWOS
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) July 28, 2021
Dean Boxall 🇦🇺 is at it again.
Another gold for Ariarne Titmus means another amazing celebration from her coach.
WATCH: https://t.co/ZoPibtUgIT pic.twitter.com/FuQILM3w0N
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) July 28, 2021
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Denis Loktev pulls on lane rope in Olympic 200 free prelim:
- This video got quite a few views and its accompanying article made our top 50 most-read articles of the year.
- Olympic mania even resulted in a Caeleb Dressel VR feature on TikTok:
View this post on Instagram
- And this unbelievably cool video shot with a waterproof drone from SwimSwam photographer Jack Spitser:
View this post on Instagram
- Caeleb Dressel Celebrates with his Family After Qualifying for Tokyo
- This was our most-liked video on Instagram in 2021
- Sierra Schmidt Goes Viral for her Dance Moves
- The Michigan swim star was already well-known in the swimming community for her moves, which gained traction on TikTok after being featured during Olympic Trials.
@eebui She’s back at again 👏👏 alcohol free next please #twice #alcoholfree #kpop #once #Olympics #cheerup #sierraschmidt #fyp
Previous Winners:
- 2020 – Silvia Solymosyová on TikTok
- 2019 – Matthew Broussard Standup
- 2018 – The Year of the Vlog
- 2017 – Adam Peaty Mirror Breaststroke
- 2016 – Fu Yuanhui Doesn’t Know She Won Olympic Bronze
- 2015 – Louisville Airport Training
When’s the baby due?
#JusticeForRailings
Nothing is going to top Laurie Lawrence after Duncan Armstrong won the 200 free in 1988. Laurie is being interviewed immediately afterwards by an unsuspecting television commentator. What does Laurie do? He slaps the poor guy in the face a few times because he can’t control his emotions…..AND…..in the process, ended up breaking the guys jaw!
Where’s the Greg Meehan reaction video from the same race?
Is there one?
there must be footage of his reaction but don’t think there’s a video
I prefer the full Australian version, where Boxall is quite measured and concerned and stationary as Titmus trails by nearly a body length, then visibly becomes more interested and nervous as she closes the gap at the end of the third 100, to the growing confidence on the penultimate 50, and finally unleashed euphoria at the end. I’m not sure the longer version is readily available. I was surprised not to see it here. This is one video that includes it: https://youtu.be/OWsjxDXq2BI?t=272
Thanks for posting this. Excellent build up to the finish.
Must be pretty cool to be a coach having prepped an athlete to do something you thought/hoped she was capable of deliver exactly as planned on the biggest stage against the distance GOAT.
This video makes me laugh everytime I watch it. The coach’s celebration, the somewhat frightened usher and the reaction of the commentators… priceless!
It really couldn’t be anytthing else.
I really wanted it to be this one, but it was actually from 2020 (though I didn’t see it until 2021).
https://www.tiktok.com/@peteyusa/video/6897329885430271238?lang=en
It’s not even guys, it’s girls. w t f m8
It’s clearly Eamon Sulivan swimming the 100 free finals at the 2008 Olympics, educate yourself… casual!
I spoke too soon, I bow down before you oh holy one.
Dean’s family’s reaction to him winning Gold in the 200 Free at Tokyo should’ve been an honourable mention.