Tom broadening event schedule to maximise his medal chances
Double Olympic champion tapering down ahead of World Championships in Budapest this month
Maidenhead swimmer Tom Dean (right) will once again be going for gold at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games this summer, but he’s also broadening his event schedule to maximise his chances of bringing home more ‘hardware’ for Great Britain.
Last summer was a glorious one for Dean and the Tokyo Games catapulted him into the nation’s consciousness for the very first time.
The former Maidenhead Marlin travelled to Tokyo hoping, but not necessarily expecting to win medals, however, he returned to a hero’s welcome on the banks of the river Thames having scooped double Olympic gold in the 200m freestyle and 200m freestyle relay.
A whisker behind him on the night he became Olympic champion was compatriot Duncan Scott, who last month edged Dean into second in what was billed the ‘clash of the titans’ at the British Swimming Championships.
On this occasion it was Scott who edged out his great rival and friend by just 0.19 seconds and in doing so posted the world’s fastest time this year. However, Dean believes their blossoming rivalry can only spur them on to even greater achievements.
“The depth we have in the 200m freestyle is unparalleled by any other country in the world,” he said. “It’s the blue ribboned race of British swimming and everyone wants a piece of that action at summer competitions. Duncan and I are battling it out for top spot, and I don’t think there are many other countries that have the number 1 and number 2 swimmers in the world competing in the same event. I think that means it’s always going to be a tough competition.
“It (the British Championships) was
a tactical back and forth race, but we congratulated each other afterwards.
“We feel it’s going to be the same in the Worlds and the Commonwealths, we’ll be up there again, battling for gold and silver and hoping to bring home a lot more hardware for the country, British swimming and Team England and Team Scotland.
“It is healthy having that competition. Sometimes it can be frustrating to have the second fastest man in the world from your country and in your event, but I wouldn’t have it any other way and the friendly rivalry we have is special and we push each other on, and the others in the event, I like to think.”
Dean and his British teammates have just returned from a gruelling training block in Turkey where they’ll hope to have laid the foundations for more medal success this summer. They’re now in a tapering down period ahead of the FINA Swimming World Championships in Budapest from June 18 to July 3, while the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are also on the horizon from July 28 to August 8. While Dean will be targeting gold in the 200m freestyle, his favoured event, he also secured qualification times for the 100m freestyle and 200m medley, so the potential is there for him to diversify in the coming years. He’s also coming to terms with his newfound fame and extra commitments following his golden summer for Great Britain in Tokyo.
“I’m having to juggle around my training schedule, which is just as rigorous as it ever is with the Commonwealth Games and World Championships on the horizon,” he said. “It’s been a crazy year, and even though the Olympic hype has died down somewhat I still get stopped in the street and am meeting and speaking to loads of people I otherwise wouldn’t have.
“The energy and support are still there and it’s very different to how my life was 12 months ago.”
He added: “We’ve just returned from a tough training block in Turkey.
“It’s not easy, it never is. But that’s what we’ve got to do to get the results.
“It’s gruelling and repetitive and it’s a hard slog but it’s got to be done to ensure we’re in the best shape of our lives this summer.
“The trials gave me a lot of confidence. I was able to book my place for a few events I don’t normally do. I’ve really broadened my event schedule for major competitions.
“A year after an Olympics is a chance to try new things and that’s exactly what I’m going to be doing. The 200m free will still be the main event and I’ll be aiming to lead out from the front but I’m trying a few other events as well and I’m enjoying the relays.
“I raced the 200m/100m free and the 200m medley at the British trials and got World Championship qualification for all three of them. I’m not 100 per cent on what I’m going to be doing yet, but we’ll be aggressive in our approach to broadening the number of medals I could possibly get.”