DUNCAN DARES
Olympics hopeful reveals Adam Peaty return is inspiring him to go for glory
GOLDEN wonder Duncan Scott is being inspired by comeback kid Adam Peaty to make sporting history with 100 days to go to the Paris Olympics.
The flying Scot became the first ever Brit to win four medals at a single Games in Tokyo, with one gold and three silver.
And he could compete for SIX medals this summer as part of a 33-strong swim squad hailed as the “greatest ever” by Team GB chiefs today.
Duncan, 26, is one of seven athletes to book a place from the University of Stirling.
He admitted he was disappointed to miss out on individual gold in Tokyo three years ago.
But the exploits of Peaty, back to his best after overcoming issues with alcohol and his mental health, is inspiring him as he bids to become the most decorated British Olympian of all time.
Duncan said: “I don’t think Adam Peaty gets enough respect for what he has achieved.
“He has had European Championship races and 16 golds. It is not just what he has done at the Olympics. But he could go back-to-back this time.
“I always tell him every time I see him that I am one of the first to doubt what he can do. I’m like, ‘Surely not this time’. Yet he just pulls it out every single time. It’s unbelievable.”
Peaty, 29, inspires him because they go back a long way, competing for Team GB since 2015.
“It was tough watching him go through that mentally and physically,” said Duncan. “It’s pretty remarkable to see him back at that level again.
“I was part of Adam’s first ever British team back in 2015. We have that mutual respect for each other.”
Despite his historic feats in Tokyo, Duncan admitted he was “initially upset and disappointed” at missing out on an individual gold. But he said: “After my last race, I thought of the great athletes, Chris Hoy, Steve Redgrave, Andy Murray, people I grew up supporting and loved, and I was sitting there with the most medals ever out of Team GB at one Olympic Games.
“There was a realisation that it was something quite special.”
Our swim team includes two time-Olympic champions Tom Dean and James Guy, Olympic champions Anna Hopkin, Kathleen Dawson, Freya Anderson and Matt Richards.
Swim star Matt, 21, reigning 200m freestyle world champ, called for the £39,300, which will be awarded to athletes for a gold medal in Paris, to be matched by other sports.
Like Duncan, he could be competing in six events in Paris and said: “The prize money is something that needs to be addressed. We’ve already seen the enhanced Games where they are offering stupid money to athletes to compete as drug cheats.
“Some athletes go bankrupt to compete and keep their Olympic dream alive. That feels wrong when the Olympics produce so much money. It feels wrong that some is not distributed back to athletes.”
Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said it is up to individual sports and nations to decide on performance bonuses.
It’s pretty remarkable to see him back at that level again
DUNCAN SCOTT ON ADAM PEATY RETURN