Scott ready to make another splash after banishing self doubt
Pool star in a good place and happy to prove critics wrong
DUNCAN SCOTT is far from oblivious to the fact that in just a few months, he could be making yet more history. But the 26- year- old, who is already one of Scotland’s greatest sportspeople, is refusing to get caught up in the prospect of writing himself into the record books again.
Today marks 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 and Scott, who has already been to two Olympics, is one of the headline names in the 33- strong GB swimming team, which also includes double Olympic champion Adam Peaty.
Scott is one of five Scots who will head to France this summer, with Kathleen Dawson, Lucy Hope and Olympic debutants, Katie Shanahan and Keanna MacInnes also included in the line- up.
Scott won two relay silver medals in Rio in 2016 but it was at Tokyo 2020 he really made his name.
A gold and three silvers made him GB’s most- decorated Olympian at a single Games but despite his success, he admitted at the time to being more than a little disappointed by his results, with his only gold coming in the 4x200m freestyle.
It would, then, be easy to assume that Scott will head to Paris this summer with the explicit aim of increasing his medal tally from Tokyo, but the Alloa man is quick to bat away any such suggestions.
“Just because I was disappointed with what I did last Olympics doesn’t mean I’m trying to better it this time because they’re very different circumstances,” Scott says.
“I was 0.02 seconds off a world record in the 4x200m relay, 0.04 seconds off a gold in the 200m free and very close in the 200m IM so it’s very fine margins. Initially, I was pretty upset by it all but as the days went on, it started to sink in that with all the great athletes who have come out of Team GB like Chris Hoy, Steve Redgrave and Andy Murray, for me to be sitting there with the most medals from one Games, I realised that was something quite special.
“To do better [ in Paris] is a very difficult ask and so I’m not going to compare.
“The medal count isn’t something I think about at all – in Tokyo, I had no clue. So it’s not something that drives me but it might be that extra bonus on top of everything else.”
It has not all been plain sailing for Scott. The freestyle and individual medley specialist experienced a challenging season last year, with his results well below his usual high level.
His drop- off in form led to some suggesting he was past his best but an impressive week at the British Championships this month, which doubled as the Olympic trials, put to bed any doubts Scott, or others, may have had about his ability to return to a world- class level.
He has, though, not forgotten those who were quick to write him off and he admits that although much of his motivation comes from within, the criticism has served to fuel his fire that little bit more.
“Last year, I was in and out the pool a lot with illnesses and that inconsistency caught up with me,” he says. “Whereas this year, I’ve been able to put together a consistent, high- quality block of training and that’s been a real positive.
“So after trials, as much as I may have been disappointed in some things, I just felt grateful to be back at this level.
“I think I did doubt I could get back. After trials last year, with how I swam, it was a difficult journey back home from Sheffield and there were plenty of thoughts going through my head.
“I still remember what people said about me and who wrote me off. There’s been certain external motivating factors this year that have helped me out and there’s also internal factors that always drive me. Because whatever pressure other people put on me, the expectations I put on myself far exceed that.”
Scott is part of the lauded University of Stirling swimming squad, which has provided all five Scottish members of this Olympic team.
It is a training environment in which Scott has spent his entire senior career and has seen him develop from a promising junior to one of the best in the world.
With a number of younger swimmers now emerging from Stirling’s swimming programme, Scott says being surrounded by the next generation of international talent does his motivation no harm at all, but despite the potential within the squad, Scott remains the brightest medal hope of all the Scottish swimmers headed to Paris.
He is far too canny to get caught up in any medal predictions but he is confident that, at his best, he has what it takes to be challenging for more than a few podium places this summer.
“Stirling is a really good environment. There’s a lot of excited young swimmers who bring heaps of passion every day and then there’s others who have done plenty of hours following a black line,” he says.
“For me, in Paris, if I’m able to get close to my best times, I know I’m going to be there or there abouts.”
I think I did doubt I could get back. After trials last year, with how I swam, it was a difficult journey back home and there were plenty of thoughts going through my head