Relay double fuels grounds for optimism ahead of Rio

BRITAIN finished with 22 medals – trailing only Hungary, who won 19 but topped the table by virtue of their 10 golds – at the European Swimming Championships last night. It offered quiet grounds for optimism as the Olympic Games splash over the horizon.

On the final day in London, Scots Kathleen Dawson and Duncan Scott shone as the UK’s 4x100 medley relay squads each won gold .

Dawson, soon to join Scott at the University of Stirling, provided a lead on the backstroke leg that would never be relinquished as Chloe Tutton, SiobhanMarie O’Connor and then Fran Halsall tightened their grip.

“It’s been amazing going under a minute three times,” said Dawson, who also landed an individual bronze. “I can’t have imagined doing that.”

Scott was equally unflappable on the anchor freestyle leg, profiting from the cushion delivered by Adam Peaty and James Guy and duly boosting his case to retain the role in Brazil.

“It was nice to be in a final for once rather than just doing some heats,” said the 18-year-old. “But it was great to be in there with these boys and we bring out the best in each other.” Halsall’s share in the relay triumph came after her gold in Saturday’s 50m backstroke. Twenty-four hours later she also got a silver in the 50m freestyle behind the Netherlands’ Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

Jazz Carlin was runner-up in the 400m variant as Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas concluded a hat-trick of titles, with City of Glasgow’s Camilla Hattersley seventh in a personal best of 4:09.51.

Ben Proud added a bronze in the 400m freestyle final.

The final tally of 22 medals was headlined by Peaty, a triple champion here, followed by Scotland’s Ross Murdoch, who added a bronze in the 50m breaststroke on Saturday to complement the gold and silver he had already secured.

Dan Wallace, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 400m individual medley just two years ago, was only the 21st fastest in the heats here and will need to urgently recapture his lost form amid his imminent change of base from Florida to Somerset.

Ditto for the 4x200 freestyle squad, who were only sixth in their final on Saturday. “I’m totally gutted not to be involved in the medals being world champions,” said Robbie Renwick.

“But it’s fuel for the fire. We’ll get it in the summer.”