British Trials, Day 6 Finals: Matt Richards Leads Home Duncan Scott In 200 Free; No Title Defence For Tom Dean
Matt Richards led home Duncan Scott in the 200 free with both men inside the Paris cut but there’ll be no Olympic title defence for Tom Dean who was third in the final race of the six-day trials meet in London.
Richards, the 2023 world champion, came home in 1:44.69, 0.06 ahead of Tokyo silver medallist Scott who clocked 1:44.75, with Dean third in 1:45.09.
James Guy, the 2015 world champion and Tokyo 4×2 gold medallist, was fourth in 1:45.28 to book his place on the relay in Paris come July.
Jack McMillan (1:46.19), Kieran Bird (1:46.99), Luke Turley (1:47.75) and Joe Litchfield (1:49.73) completed the field.
The field contained seven Olympians – Luke Turley the only man to have not yet made a Games – sharing 14 medals between them, of which six are gold, as well as making 34 trips to the world podium.
Splits:
Richards: 24.27/50.85 (26.58)/1:17.73 (26.88)/1:44.69 (26.96)
Scott: 24.52/51.04 (26.52)O/1:18.07 (27.03)/1:44.75 (26.68)
Dean: 24.30/51.28 (26.98)/1:18.23 (26.95)/1:45.09 (26.86)
Guy: 24.36/50.58 (26.22)/1:17.56 (26.98)/1:45.28 (27.72)
It was Richards’ second win of the meet following 100 gold and the Welshman also went inside the cut in the 50 free behind Ben Proud to book a busy schedule in the French capital,
He said:
“It’s been great: I couldn’t have asked for much more.
“I said on night one for me that 100 freestyle wasn’t as fast as maybe I’d have liked it to be.
“There were some areas where I kind of got that wrong but we learned from that, we moved it on in the 50 for a PB and a nomination time.
“And then again tonight, to come away with the win, that was the only objective this evening.
“The times are kind of like a secondary thing here, it’s all about those placement points.
“And it’s the same in the summer.
“At the end of the day, I’m not here to swim a fast time, I’m here to win.”
Scott won the 200IM ahead of Dean at the Aquatics Centre and finished second behind Richards in the 100 free as well as Sunday’s 200.
Success in London also translates to a big programme for Scott, who became the most decorated British athlete at a single Olympics when he won four medals in Tokyo.
The University of Stirling swimmer came from third at the 150 behind Guy and Richards to post a 26.68 final-50 blast and come within 0.06 of victory.
He said:
“It’s always a blanket finish in that event, you never really know for sure where you are in that race.
“I’ve had Jimmy (James Guy) next to me swimming that race for so many years. Its a really difficult final, there’s always so much emotion that comes with it.
“With guys either side of you, either really excited or locked out of it as well.
“Deano (Tom Dean) is one of my close mates and it’s difficult seeing that, but it’s sport as well.
“Once every year is different, and also every Olympics is so different. We are all very different ages to what we were in Tokyo and we are all from different environments, you know we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
“Every other nation is moving the event on and that sort of time might not even win it and I can see quite a few countries going sub seven minutes. It was a great job well done there with the boys, but this is just the start of it.
“I don’t think the result has quite hit me yet, but it caps off quite a good week for me.”
While Richards and Scott were elated, Dean will have to process the fact there’ll be no title defence, three years after he headed that British 1-2.
He pointed to the calibre of the event in Britain and the camaraderie and support of the field but added:
“It’s bitter-sweet. There’s only one person in the world who had a chance to defend the 200 free olympic title ever in the history of the sport.
“And unfortunately I passed that opportunity up about five minutes ago.
“So, I am going to have to go back and reflect on that.
“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.”
“Obviously it’s always quite stacked. you’ve got all those boys wanting top two positions.
“But it’s been weird: the 100 fly was an absolute shambles.
“It’s been quite frustrating – people saying you alright? I’m fine, I just swam like a bit of an idiot really.
“Kind of thinking, one bad swim, I’m in a bad place and I think I showed out there I’m doing alright.”
He added:
“Start of the week I kind of forgot, I’m trying to qualify for third Olympics. You take that a lot for granted.
“Yeah, it’s looking good for the summer and I’m sure pretty sure we can all build on that, 100%.”
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- Aquatics GB meet page
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- The Road to Paris: Adam Peaty Ready To Attack British Trials
- Duncan Scott Talks The Highs And Lows of Olympic Year On Eve Of British Trials
- Day 1 Prelims: Adam Peaty Goes 58.53 For Fastest Time Since Tokyo
- Day 1 Finals: Adam Peaty Books Tilt At Three-Peat; Returns To Unique Speed
- Day 2 Prelims: Ollie Morgan Rattles British 100 Back Record In 52.87
- Day 2 Finals: Ollie Morgan Lowers Liam Tancock’s British 100 Back Record To 52.70 And Books Ticket To Paris
- Day 2 Finals: Kathleen Dawson Overcomes Career-Threatening Injury To Book Olympic Berth
- Day 3 Prelims: Matt Richards Heads 100 Free In 48.01
- Day 3 Prelims: Katie Shanahan Books Lane Four In 400IM
- Day 3 Finals: Matt Richards Takes 100 Free Title In 47.84
- Day 3 Finals: Max Litchfield Goes 4:09.14 For British 400IM Record
- Day 3 Finals: Anna Hopkin Surges Into Paris With 50 Free Gold
- Day 3 Finals: Freya Colbert Books Paris Berth in 400IM; Katie Shanahan Also Inside Cut
- Day 3 Finals: Daniel Jervis Books Trip To Second Olympics
- Day 4 Prelims: Katie Shanahan Through In 200 Back As Honey Osrin Leads The Way
- Day 4 Prelims: Jacob Peters Posts Sole 51 In 100 Fly, James Guy Through
- Day 4 Finals: Duncan Scott Goes 1:55.91 For 200IM Gold Ahead Of Tom Dean; Both Men Inside The QT
- Day 4 Finals: Honey Osrin Leads Home Katie Shanahan In 200 Back; Both Women Inside The Cut
- Day 4 Finals: Joe Litchfield Wins 100 Fly To Claim Olympic Ticket Ahead Of Joshua Gammon & Jacob Peters
- Day 4 Finals: Holly Hibbott Holds Off Amelie Blocksidge To Win 400 Free
- Day 5 Prelims: Ben Proud Posts 21.70 In 50 Free
- Day 5 Prelims: Abbie Wood Posts 2:11 In 200IM
- Day 5 Finals: Ben Proud Fires 21.25 In 50 Free; 0.14 Outside British Record
- Day 5 Finals: Abbie Wood Sets 2:08 PB To Book 200IM Slot In Paris
- Day 6 Prelims: Tom Dean & Matt Richards Book Centre Lanes In 200 Free; 1:47.76 To Make Final
- Day 6 Prelims: Angharad Evans Rattles British 100 Breast Record; Anna Hopkin Leads Eva Okaro & Freya Anderson In 100 Free
