Editorial content for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games coverage is sponsored by GMX7.
See full event coverage. Follow GMX7 on Instagram at @GMX7training #gmx7
Duncan Scott matched his British 100 free record when he went 47.87 at the British Swimming Selection Trials.
Scott went third in the rankings but he wasn’t happy with his time, the triple world 4×200 relay champion always looking to improve.
The two-time Olympic silver relay medallist set the record almost exactly two years ago at the British Championships in Glasgow.
On Friday he went out in 23.16 and back in 24.71 to catapult himself to third in the rankings and replicate his time set at his hometown pool.
Behind him and also booking a slot was European junior champion Matt Richards who clocked 48.23.
Tom Dean was third in 48.51 while also of note was Jacob Whittle in fourth – the 16-year-old setting a national age group record of 48.76, eclipsing Richards’ 48.88 en-route to European junior gold in 2019.
Duncan Scott: Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr
It’s the second national record of the week for the University of Stirling swimmer who went 11th all-time and third in Europe with 1:55.90 in the 200IM.
Scott though wasn’t satisfied with his time, saying:
“It was quite a bit slower than I was wanting in all honesty. It’s great to equal my PB, but with how I swam on the first day, I was feeling pretty good and I thought I could go a bit quicker. That’s just the way it was today.
“I’m delighted for the other boys, there’s some fast times in there and it’s great to see some of the British boys coming through and swimming fast. It was one 47 and three 48s, so it was a really good field.
“But a little disappointed.”
Up next is the 200 free to add to the 200IM and 100 and he said:
“I’ve trained for a busy schedule in Tokyo! I look forward to challenging myself, we prepare for these back-to-backs and doubles. It’s a big schedule, it’s tough, but I do train for it and I’m ready for it.”
2021 Rankings
1. 47.31, Kliment Kolesnikov, Russian Championships
2. 47.77, Andrei Minakov, Russian Championships
3. 47.87, Duncan Scott, British Swimming Selection Trials
4. 47.89, Vladislav Grinev, Russian Championships
=5. 48.00, Vladislav Morozov, Russian Championships
=5. 48.00, Kristof Milak, Hungarian Spring Nationals
7. 48.04, Kyle Chalmers, Australian Championships
It is also a mighty achievement for Richards who took 200 free silver to add to his 100 gold at the European juniors in Kazan, Russia, less than two years ago.
Matt Richards: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL
The 18-year-old moved from Royal Wolverhampton to train under Jol Finck at the Bath National Centre last summer and gave thanks to everyone who has played a part in his journey so far.
“I was trying to keep up with this guy here (Scott)! I can’t thank the team I’ve got around me enough, everyone at Bath, everyone at Royal Wolverhampton, my mum my dad, my grandparents, my whole family.”
Richards spoke to Swimming World in September 2020 about being inspired by Michael Phelps, following in James Guy‘s slipstream and sharing a house with four fellow swimmers including Kieran Bird and Brodie Williams – the pair having also booked a trip to Tokyo.
Whittle became the first 14-year-old inside 50 seconds when he went 49.97 at the 2019 European juniors.
Now he may well find himself on the 4×100 relay team come Tokyo.
Whittle, who swims for the Derventio club which has produced the likes of Molly Renshaw and Abbie Wood, had set a best of 49.31 in heats from which he cut a further 0.55 in the evening.
He said:
“I came out of the morning session pleased I’d done a PB on a swim that was just blowing off the cobwebs.
“Going into the final, there were several points that I wanted to stick to, to ensure I stuck to the plan. I’m really pleased with my final – I feel I executed my plan perfectly and had a great race.
“Being in a final as stacked as it was is absolutely brilliant, with the tight competition only making you want to swim faster. It can be tough, but what an honour to be in a race as on fire as that.
“I didn’t have many expectations coming into the meet, I just wanted to race to my strengths and swim a great meet.”
Advertising: Shop At Swim360
