These are unsettling times but what does not change is the ability of elite athletes to produce world-class performances in the face of uncertainty.
So it was at the Edinburgh International Swim Meet where Duncan Scott, Tom Dean, Adam Peaty, Luke Greenbank and Jacob Peters all stood atop the podium, rankings rattled.
James Guy went 51.84 in the morning heats of the 100 fly before bypassing the final as planned, the focus now on the coming weeks with coach Dave McNulty at the National Centre Bath.
Molly Renshaw and Jocelyn Ulyett had a last-length tussle as both women went 2:25 in the 200 breaststroke, Kathleen Dawson completed a sweep of the backstroke events, Freya Anderson continued her fine season in the 100 free with Abbie Wood and Laura Stephens also taking a trip to the top step.
So too were there some fine junior performances that augur well for the future.
Where to next nobody knows. The British Championships, which double as trials for Tokyo 2020, are on the brink of being postponed following the UK government’s change of heart on mass gatherings in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Olympics is under threat with late May the deadline by which the International Olympic Committee and Tokyo 2020 Games organisers will have to make a decision on whether to proceed, postpone or cancel, says IOC member Dick Pound.
Health and the safety of all is, of course, the number one priority but what of these athletes in Olympic year?
Great Scott Rattles Rankings & Dean Sets Sail
Duncan Scott: Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Scott propelled himself to third in the 100 free world rankings with victory in 48.49, a time bettered this season only by Australia’s Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers who leads the way on 47.99 and Russian Vladimir Morozov and his 48.32.
The double Olympic silver medallist was out in 23.19 and back in 25.30 for a clear win ahead of Jack Thorpe (50.03) and David Cumberlidge (50.11).
The University of Stirling swimmer left the Royal Commonwealth Pool with three golds – and a Scottish record in the 50 skins – and a bronze in the 200 free.
Tom Dean added the 400 free title to his 200m gold after a thrilling three-way tussle with Dan Jervis and Jakob Goodman.
The trio were stroke-for-stroke until 250m when Dean, part of the Great Britain 4x200m relay that came fifth at 2019 worlds, executed a superb turn to forge ahead.
The 19-year-old then set sail with 100m to go and although Jervis – who won the 800 and 1500 – came back at him in the final 15m, Dean got his hand to the wall first in 3:48.59 ahead of the Welshman who clocked 3:48.96.
What never appears in doubt is Peaty’s world-class consistency and he returned from a morning heat of 26.86 for the 50 breaststroke skins, a series of races run on a knockout basis with the two remaining swimmers going head to head.
The world-record holder posted 27.14; 27.59; 27.42 and 27.29 which left Peaty to face James Wilby, winner of the 200 breaststroke, to race for gold after Ross Murdoch was the man eliminated.
It was Peaty’s title in 27.42 with Wilby clocking 28.93 in what had been a world-class field offering a demonstration of fine breaststroke sprinting.
The Olympic champion received the FINA points award for his 58.13 blast – a time only he has bettered – in the 100m on Saturday.
Peaty elbow-bumped Wilby and Jervis, who rounded out that particular podium, now that hand-shaking is a no-no.
Renshaw Edges Late Challenge From Ulyett
Molly Renshaw; Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Olympic and world finalist Renshaw held off a late challenge from Ulyett which saw the pair go stroke-for-stroke in the final 15m to win the 200m breaststroke in 2:25.84.
Renshaw appeared on course for a clear victory at the final turn when she held a 1.21sec lead but Ulyett, whose PB of 2:22.08 is the British record, closed with every stroke only to fall 0.04secs short in 2:25.88.
Kara Hanlon, of Edinburgh University, was third in 2:29.35.
Anderson has had a fine season so far and added the 100 free title to her 50 and 200 golds.
The Ellesmere College Titans swimmer was out in 26.26 and back in 27.67 to touch the wall in 53.93.
Greenbank set a meet record of 1:58.65 to win the 200 backstroke.
The world bronze medallist, who is coached by Mel Marshall at Loughborough, was out fast in 27.71 and had a body-length lead at halfway.
Turning in 1:27.97 at 150, Greenbank may have felt that early pace with Brodie Williams eating into the deficit on the last 50 but the Millfield man could not close and finished second in 1:59.16 with Elliot Clogg, of City of Sheffield, third in 1:59.63.
Kathleen Dawson: Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble
Kathleen Dawson completed a sweep of the backstroke events with a dominant victory in the women’s equivalent.
Out in 30.69 – the only sub-31 of the field – the University of Stirling swimmer was 1.94secs ahead at halfway and she extended that lead to win in 2:10.34.
European junior silver medallist Honey Osrin was second in 2:13.20 ahead of Katie Shanahan who touched in 2:13.54 to claim her second medal of the afternoon following silver in the 200IM.
Jacob Peters added the 100 fly crown to his 50 gold in 52.19, a personal best.
The 200 IM was dominated by Abbie Wood who won in 2:11.78.
Wood, who is coached by Dave Hemmings at the National Training Centre Loughborough, was a body-length ahead at halfway, a lead she continued to extend until the wall.
Shanahan, a teenager who promises much with three European Youth Olympic titles last year, set a junior meet mark of 2:15.87 ahead of Candice Hall (2:17.18).
Stephens won out in the 50 fly skins, edging Harriet West in the final with 27.51 to 27.88.
It was a second title for Stephens who produced a stand-out 100 fly on Friday while West took the 200 gold.
The FINA rankings are incomplete. Chalmers has been faster than Morozov’s 48.32 three times already this year (47.99, 48.27, 48.28).
It was an oversight on a fast-moving evening. It is amended now and thank you for the spot.