Scott nurtures addiction to pursuit of medley success
● 100m freestyle event won but Scot keen to excel in four different strokes
Behind closed doors, Duncan Scott will continue to work diligently on his swimming craft even as the swimming world prepares for its own lockout. Tokyo’s Olympic Games may not proceed as scheduled, but the youth of the world will eventually be called to gather and the 22-year-old intends to be at the front of the queue.
On the final night of the Edinburgh International, the 22-year-old underlined a velocity that will be hard to resist as he claimed victory in the 100 metres freestyle final in 48.49 seconds. It left Jack Thorpe, in second, with additional reasons to offer a fulsome respect. Twenty-four hours earlier, he saw Scott pilfer his Scottish record over 50m with a new benchmark of 22.21.
Yet while the European and Commonwealth champion is single-minded in his pursuit of improvements, he retains an ambition for multiple strings to his bow. The 200m individual medley, the mix of all four strokes at high speed, is his addictive fascination. The dedication applied is admirable.
“The guys who are doing one event – like breaststroke – they just do one at a high level,” he said. “The detail of what they go into is incredible. I can go into detail but then I’ve got three other strokes to focus on. But in training, it’s good to have so many things to work on.” And yet, his freestyle stands out. He will not slow down. “I feel good about where I’m at now,” he admitted.
Adam Peaty sealed a hattrick of triumphs in Edinburgh with victory in the 50m breaststroke. His best of 27.14 seconds in the knockout skins format served to emphasise his dominance with Ross Murdoch second, but adrift, with 27.54.
“There is still a purpose in this,” said Peaty. “The front end. The stroke. Sometimes you can take it a little too seriously. But skins is just training for us. I’m driving home straight from Edinburgh and if I’m not driving with sore arms, I’m not doing it right.”
European short-course champion Freya Anderson swept to victory in the 100m freestyle in 53.93 seconds while Kathleen Dawson polished off an impressive weekend by winning the 200m backstroke in 2:10.34, almost three seconds ahead of Honey Osrin with Katie Shanahan third. “I feel 100 per cent,” said Dawson, who suffered a horrific knee injury last year. “It all feels normal again.” World championship bronze medallist Luke Greenbank took the 200m backstroke title with Craig Mcnally fifth while Molly Renshaw was triumphant in the 200m breaststroke.
British Swimming is expected to move swiftly to postpone its Olympic trials, scheduled for London next month. A team must be selected, but head coach Bill Furniss will resist the temptation to use Edinburgh results as a substitute. “I don’t think we would look at performances this weekend in terms of going forward,” he said. “We have all sorts of options but I don’t think this is one of them.”
As long as coronavirus continues to throw a shroud of uncertainty over Tokyo 2020, all prospective competitors will remain in a state of limbo. Having gone to the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, Craig Benson is preparing to begin a career in the nonaquatic universe. Was this it, he reflected. “It’s weird. But this could be my last-ever competition.”
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