Celebrating the Range of British Star Duncan Scott
Over the past several months, Swimming World has published a handful of short features that highlight the all-around prowess of some elite names in the sport. The goal of the periodic series is to shed light on athlete performances that might fly under the radar, or do not receive attention due to an individual’s other exploits. For example, we recently ran a piece on multi-time Olympic medalist Regan Smith, best known for her ability in the backstroke and butterfly events. However, Smith has also generated top-tier marks in the 400-meter individual medley (4:35.79) and 200 freestyle (1:56.94).
In our latest article in the series, Great Britain’s Duncan Scott is the focus.
For more than a decade, Scott has been a standout for British Swimming, flourishing on both an individual and relay basis. An eight-time Olympic medalist, he has helped Great Britain to back-to-back Olympic crowns in the 800 freestyle relay, along with a silver medal in the event at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Individually, Scott owns a pair of Olympic silver medals in the 200 individual medley, and a silver in the 200 freestyle. He’s also a multi-time medalist at the World Championships and the reigning Commonwealth Games champion in the 200 freestyle and 200 IM.
Historically, Scott ranks No. 9 in the 200 medley, behind a top time of 1:55.28. That effort is complemented by an all-time ranking of 10th in the 200 freestyle, thanks to a personal best of 1:44.26. This summer, Scott will have the opportunity to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games and Breat Britain at the European Championships, competitions that will allow him to pad his international-medal count.
As much as Scott is appreciated, it’s worth noting his efforts beyond the events where he is most commonly seen. Scott possesses sprint-freestyle bests of 22.21 (50) and 47.87 (100), the latter mark confirming why he is a locked-in member of the British 400 freestyle relay. More, Scott has been 51.07 in the 100 butterfly, 1:54.89 in the 200 fly and 4:09.18 in the 400 IM, world-class efforts that reflect his versatility.
Perhaps Scott will make a run at an “off” event during this summer’s championship season, especially with both Commonwealths and Europeans being held. If not, it’s worth recognizing the all-around talent of the British standout.
Duncan Scott (Personal-Best Times)
50 Freestyle: 22.21
100 Freestyle: 47.87
200 Freestyle: 1:44.26
100 Backstroke: 55.98
100 Breaststroke: 1:01.82
100 Butterfly: 51.07
200 Butterfly: 1:54.89
200 Medley: 1:55.28
400 Medley: 4:09.18