<p> An Australian swimming coach whose wild victory celebrations at the Tokyo Olympics went viral online has apologised for tearing off his mask in defiance of strict coronavirus rules.</p>.<p>Coach Dean Boxall flipped out after his swimmer Ariarne Titmus clinched gold in the 400m freestyle ahead of fierce American rival Katie Ledecky on Monday.</p>.<p>Roaring with delight, the shaggy-haired swim guru kicked the air and hammered his fists, before thrusting his hips against a perspex barrier.</p>.<p>He also tore off his face covering and threw it across the Tokyo Aquatic Centre's spectator-free stands as an anxious volunteer hovered nearby, prevaricating about whether to put an end to the histrionics.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-ecstatic-aussie-coach-goes-viral-with-medal-worthy-celebrations-1013008.html" target="_blank">Tokyo Olympics: Ecstatic Aussie coach goes viral with medal-worthy celebrations</a></strong></p>.<p>Boxall has embraced the moment of online fame that has seen him dubbed "Ultimate Warrior" in honour of an over-the-top US wrestler from the 1990s renowned for pounding the ring ropes.</p>.<p>But he admitted he went too far breaching the Covid-19 protocols imposed in an attempt to keep the Games bio-secure as host city Tokyo endure a virus-induced state of emergency.</p>.<p>"I need to apologise, actually, because I tore my mask off and it ripped," he told Australia's <em>Seven Network</em>. "I just lost it in the moment."</p>.<p>Boxall said he lost control after working with Titmus for six years and seeing her "execute to perfection" a plan to overcome US great Ledecky.</p>.<p>"It just came out," he said. "It built up in the trials, it was coming through and then when I saw the race unfolding I couldn't keep it in."</p>.<p>Boxall told Australian media: "I think I went outside of my body."</p>.<p>Titmus said after the win that she had only seen snippets of Boxall's celebrations but they fitted her coach's larger-than-life character.</p>.<p>"That's just the way Dean is," she said. "He's very passionate about what he does and he becomes quite animated.</p>.<p>"He puts 100 per cent into being a swimming coach and he's sacrificed a lot of his family life with his kids and his wife for his job."</p>
<p> An Australian swimming coach whose wild victory celebrations at the Tokyo Olympics went viral online has apologised for tearing off his mask in defiance of strict coronavirus rules.</p>.<p>Coach Dean Boxall flipped out after his swimmer Ariarne Titmus clinched gold in the 400m freestyle ahead of fierce American rival Katie Ledecky on Monday.</p>.<p>Roaring with delight, the shaggy-haired swim guru kicked the air and hammered his fists, before thrusting his hips against a perspex barrier.</p>.<p>He also tore off his face covering and threw it across the Tokyo Aquatic Centre's spectator-free stands as an anxious volunteer hovered nearby, prevaricating about whether to put an end to the histrionics.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-ecstatic-aussie-coach-goes-viral-with-medal-worthy-celebrations-1013008.html" target="_blank">Tokyo Olympics: Ecstatic Aussie coach goes viral with medal-worthy celebrations</a></strong></p>.<p>Boxall has embraced the moment of online fame that has seen him dubbed "Ultimate Warrior" in honour of an over-the-top US wrestler from the 1990s renowned for pounding the ring ropes.</p>.<p>But he admitted he went too far breaching the Covid-19 protocols imposed in an attempt to keep the Games bio-secure as host city Tokyo endure a virus-induced state of emergency.</p>.<p>"I need to apologise, actually, because I tore my mask off and it ripped," he told Australia's <em>Seven Network</em>. "I just lost it in the moment."</p>.<p>Boxall said he lost control after working with Titmus for six years and seeing her "execute to perfection" a plan to overcome US great Ledecky.</p>.<p>"It just came out," he said. "It built up in the trials, it was coming through and then when I saw the race unfolding I couldn't keep it in."</p>.<p>Boxall told Australian media: "I think I went outside of my body."</p>.<p>Titmus said after the win that she had only seen snippets of Boxall's celebrations but they fitted her coach's larger-than-life character.</p>.<p>"That's just the way Dean is," she said. "He's very passionate about what he does and he becomes quite animated.</p>.<p>"He puts 100 per cent into being a swimming coach and he's sacrificed a lot of his family life with his kids and his wife for his job."</p>
