DUNCAN DARES TO DREAM
Six medals just the start for Scottish sensation
DUNCAN SCOTT has cleaned up at Commonwealth level. Next stop? Well, it’s got to be global domination, naturally. All-conquering Americans beware. Gwangju, the South Korean city that will host the World Championships in July of 2019, had better brace itself.
And the same goes for the Olympic host city of Tokyo in 2020. Because Scott looks very much like a man on a mission.
The Team Scotland superstar, who won his sixth medal of these Games with a silver in the 200metres individual medley last night, was already out on his own — in domestic terms — even before signing off in such style.
No other Scot has won more than four medals at a single Games.
And only three other swimmers across the Commonwealth — Chad le Clos in 2014, Ian Thorpe in 2002 and Michael Klim in 1998 — have achieved seven podium places in one go.
Scott’s haul of one gold, one silver and four bronzes is bound to boost his reputation across the sport. Yet the 20-year-old — whose victory in the 100 freestyle was one of the defining moments of Gold Coast 2018 — insisted that there were still new worlds to conquer.
‘I wouldn’t say I’m at the top of the game at the moment,’ said Scott, who finished fifth in last year’s World Championships.
‘As good an achievement as the Commonwealth Games is, a lot of great nations are missing.
‘America, to name one. They have a huge dominance within world swimming and there are a lot of guys in the 100 freestyle, to name one event, who could have quite easily beaten me there just with their PBs.
‘There’s plenty more for me to do and there’s a lot more that needs to be done.
‘But I’m really happy with my performances. There were a lot of positives within them and the execution has been there, which has been pleasing. Before, it was more like: “I know I’ve got that ability.” But it was good to get the execution this week.’
Scott’s ability to ‘hunt people down’, as he puts it, has been to the fore this week — never more so than in his 100m freestyle win over the great South African Le Clos.
Last night, his closing burst saw him move from sixth to second over the closing 50 metres before finishing behind Australia’s Mitch Larkin.
And he very nearly salvaged Scotland a bronze from an impossible last-leg starting position in the medley relay.
Asked about his finishing speed, still in evidence after six days of racing with just one rest day, he said: ‘It comes and goes. I’ve had it a lot in the IM.
‘I’ve been told to hunt people down because my breaststroke is usually pretty poor. I’ve usually been behind.
‘But my closing speed in most of my events this week has been really good so that’s been a real positive, regardless of the event.
‘The 200IM was always going to be really tough. I’m knackered now, it’s been a long week with some tough races, especially today. It’ll be nice to have a wee lie down.
‘But that’s why we do the training every day. If you have a massive drop between your first race and your last, something’s not quite happened correctly.
‘The day off on Monday helped a lot, it got my head back down to earth and got me ready for the 200IM.
‘It was a big battle, it was hard. There are a lot of guys in that field who could have won it so I was just trying to beat the guys next to me and have a race.’
Scott donned a kilt for his sixth medal ceremony of the Games, part of a team effort that brought back memories of Glasgow 2014.
He had some trouble getting it off ahead of the relay, although he insisted he was just being orderly, rather than muddled.
‘I had plenty of time so I took my time, taking off my sporran and my kilt,’ he said. ‘The others just took it all off in a oner!
‘I’d like to see you try to take a kilt off in front of 10,000 people with a 4x100 medley about to start!
‘They did it in Glasgow (wore kilts), I watched them from the
stands that time, and it was great for us to do it again tonight.’
Scott has consistently paid tribute to the entire swimming squad here this week, not just the guys who have helped him to relay success.
‘It’s just been an honour to represent Scotland,’ he said. ‘It’s something I did four years ago in Glasgow, where I got to race in two relay swims, and I was fortunate enough to medal in one.
‘To come here and get some individual success has been an absolute pleasure. But I couldn’t have the medal count I do without the amazing support I’ve had through Scottish Swimming, thanks to its members and Sport Scotland.
‘My team-mates in the relay have also been insane, a real pleasure to race alongside.
‘The sort of relationship we have in Team Scotland, especially the swim team, is amazing. We’re all great friends and you can see that behind the block.
‘We all want to race for each other and produce when it matters. It’s been an absolute honour and I’ve loved every minute of it — but there’s a massive team behind me.’