British Championships, Day 6 Men’s Finals: James Guy & Duncan Scott Share 200 Free Title In Dead Heat
James Guy and Duncan Scott shared the 200 free title in 1:45.08 on the final evening of the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in London.
Matt Richards had already been preselected in the 200 free for the World Championships in Singapore thanks to his silver medal at the Olympics where David Popovici took the title by 0.02 ahead of the Briton.
Richards went out at breakneck pace and led at the final turn ahead of Scott and Guy but the latter two came back on the final 50 with the 2015 world champion drawing level with the eight-time Olympic medallist as they moved past Richards. The pair touched in 1:45.08 to share gold and were well within the QT with Richards third.
However, it begs the question of what the selectors will do given two into one doesn’t go. Richards has one Singapore slot and the other berth was supposed to have been allocated in London but the outcome leaves the selectors with a headache.
Ollie Morgan swept the backstroke treble with a 1:55 PB ahead of Luke Greenbank while Ben Proud claimed the 50 fly title.
To qualify for the Singapore worlds – which run from 27 July to 3 August – a swimmer must finish first in an Olympic event and record a time that equals or betters those in the table below. Athletes that finish second in a time equal or better than that in the table will be considered for selection to a team that will have a maximum of 30 athletes.
- Start Lists/Results
- Selection Policy
- Preview: Angharad Evans
- Preview: Ollie Morgan
- Aquatics GB YouTube Channel
- BBC Sport website/iPlayer
- Day 1 Prelims Report
- Day 1 Men’s Final
- Day 1 Women’s Finals
- Day 2 Prelims Report
- Day 2 Women’s Finals
- Day 2 Men’s Finals
- Day 3 Prelims Report
- Ollie Morgan Demolishes British 100 Back Record In 52.12
- Day 3 Women’s Finals
- Day 3 Men’s Finals
- Day 4 Prelims Report
- Day 4 Men’s Finals
- Day 4 Women’s Finals
- Day 5 Prelims Report
- Day 5 Women’s Finals
- Day 5 Men’s Finals
- Day 6 Prelims Report
Men’s 50 Fly
Ben Proud got his hand to the wall first in 23.21 to take the title ahead of Jacob Peters and Josh Gammon who shared silver in 23.44. It was a seventh title for Proud in the one-length event although he wasn’t impressed by his execution. “If I look at that race I thought it was pretty dreadful,” said the 2017 world champion. “Bad start, bad breakout, bad finish. There were some elements in there that must have been good but I kind of felt like this whole day – especially coming into this race – was just practicing that mindset again. Yesterday (the 50 free) was very much stress-driven – you have to be on it and really firing whereas 50 fly you almost want to take a step back and so my preparation was kind of geared towards that. It just comes down to getting your hand on the wall….it’s nice to have another British title.”
Men’s 200 Back: QT, 1:57.28
Ollie Morgan came into the race having set a British record of 52.12 in the 100 and with a PB in the 50. The University of Birmingham swimmer went out like a rocket to reach halfway in 54.78, inside national record pace. The final 50 saw the pianos come crashing down on his back as Olympic and world medallist Luke Greenbank cut through the deficit with each stroke. Morgan though withstood Greenbank’s charge to take the title and complete the backstroke treble in a PB 1:55.55 with Greenbank second in 1:56.20 as both men went inside the cut for Singapore. Greenbank’s national standard of 1:54.43 set in the semis of the European Championships in 2021 before he went on to win silver in the final remains intact. Jonny Marshall was third in 1:58.31.
Splits:
Morgan: 26.13/54.78 (28.65)/1:24.78 (30.00)/1:55.55 (30.77)
Greenbank: 27.24/56.64 (29.40)/1:26.26 (29.62)/1:56.20 (29.94)
The rigours of his race saw Morgan sit down on poolside once he’d done a post-race interview. “My head was a bit sore after that,” he said. “The TV producer just said I’m the only person he’s ever seen sit down in a medal ceremony. The legs were pretty sore but happy to take it out there. The last two years has been coming back over that last 50 so I just wanted to hit it from the front and see how the body coped with that so pretty happy with that. Again a PB and trying something new, can’t complain.”
He added: “I was a bit overwhelmed almost at the beginning of it, just kind of knowing I was going to push it that hard over that first 100 and it’s all learning and now I know my body can do it.”
Of whether he knew Greenbank was charging down that last 50, he said: “Pretty aware! I felt like I was swimming upright almost. It’s quite nice to be not coming back over the back 50 but trying to hold on. He’s doing a great job: he didn’t have a great summer with what happened (Greenbank was DQd in the Olympic prelims) so it’s really good to see him come back fighting and now he’s made that worlds team so really nice to have him around.”
Men’s 200 Free: QT, 1:45.96
This was quite simply an absolute thriller with the outcome leading to more questions and no answers at all. Olympic silver medallist Richards went out like a rocket with an all-out assault on Tom Dean’s British record of 1:44.22 set en-route to the Tokyo title in 2021. The Welshman reached halfway in 49.80 – 0.66 inside – and was still 0.73 inside the national standard at the last turn. However, his engine started slowing on that last 50 and behind him, a duel was unfolding.
Guy and Scott had been trading blows like prize fighters throughout the race. Guy was 0.23 ahead after 50 which Scott had whittled down to 0.04 at halfway. The University of Stirling swimmer moved past Guy and led him by 0.15 at the final turn although both men were some way down on Richards. Richards – down in lane seven – had started faltering with the men in the centre lanes coming with each stroke. Guy hit back with a 27.44 final 50 as the pair touched in 1:45.08 with Richards third in 1:45.25. Jack McMillan was fourth in 1:46.49 as he sealed a relay spot once again after he swam 4×2 prelims at Paris 2024 to secure a gold medal.
Splits:
Guy: 24.34/50.63 (26.29)/1:17.64 (27.01)/1:45.08 (27.44)
Scott: 24.57/50.67 (26.10)/1:17.49 (26.82)/1:45.08 (27.59)
Richards: 23.65/49.80 (26.15)/1:16.65 (27.01)/1:45.35 (28.70)
“I’ve never, ever tied for a win before,” said Guy. “To go like that with Duncan…we were literally in the call room before showing each other what songs we’re listening to, it’s that kind of relationship. We walked to the pool together, we compete each against other, have dinner together, have breakfast together, we were sat with my future wife most of the time. We’ve been chatting all week – it’s been like a little holiday, it’s been quite nice. So, to do that at the end of the week and to go head to head like that. I was chatting with Duncan’s mum and dad before at the hotel and it’s always good fun and for that minute and a half of hell, we want to win. The time as well – would have liked to have gone 1:44, but I’ve not felt great towards the end of the week, I’ve had a bit of a shoulder niggle. But that’s swimming sometimes – get on with it. In a good spot.”
He added: “The relay looks good. For April, that final, that’s pretty good, so it’s looking good for the summer. I’m off next week, going to Mallorca with my fiancee, checking out the wedding venue – I think she wants some wedding time now. It’s been swimming all week, now it’s that time!”
British selection policy stated that Paris 2024 medallists would be preselected for that event in Singapore. Scott finished fourth at La Defense Arena, 0.08 behind Luke Hobson of the USA.
Of the dilemma the selectors now face, Scott said: “It’s not in my control, you know. Showing what I did this year and last year….I was on the wrong side of it last year to miss preselection in this event so had to go the hard way and try and earn it but I fell short of that as well. To be totally honest, in January coming back I didn’t think I’d be in this position to be able to go for it. I’m pretty pleased that I’ve put a Hail Mary and given them something to think about!”
Of the race, he said: “Me and Jim have been racing for so long, it’s a pleasure always going head-to-head in the last event, you’re always thinking about it all week. I was just really happy to be in there, I didn’t quite know where I’d be at in this meet, I think I’ve surprised myself quite a lot and I’m really happy with that, just happy to be involved to be honest, so I’m buzzing with that. It was really good fun, me and Jimmy have raced each other for so long, and Matt in there as well. Good to see Jack [McMillan, Olympic gold medallist from 4x200m Freestyle Relay heats] there as well [in fourth], he’s unbelievable in training and makes me accountable in everything I do. I’ve got a lot of admiration and respect to all the boys in there.”
