Scott targets medals in South Korea after breaking own GB 100m record
● Freestyler sets sights on worlds as he eases to British title in Glasgow
Never treading water, always attempting to advance, Duncan Scott understands the power of acceleration and never looking back.
The 21-year-old already knows he nestles among the quickest aquatic athletes, but true satisfaction will only arrive with faster times and precious medals. And in breaking his own British record for the 100 metres freestyle last night in Glasgow, he edged a little closer to the destination he longs to reach.
Clocking 47.87 seconds to take victory at the British Swimming Championships, the 21-year-old removed any doubt that he will be bound for South Korea for the world championships in July. A marginal improvement. More now to be sought, he underlined.
“It’s a nice way to move on from two years ago and nice to get under 48 for the second time,” the Commonwealth champion in the discipline said. “Now it’s about trying to do that on an international stage consistently. But because 47-mid to low could medal, this is definitely in the right direction.”
He could challenge in at least five events in Gwangju. Each
0 Duncan Scott shows his satisfaction following a dominant performance in the pool at Tollcross.
one a priceless opportunity to hone himself as the Tokyo Olympics draw near. “I’d like to be competitive on the world stage,” he added. “There are still a lot of areas to improve on. That’s not going to medal at a world championships. There are definitely a couple more steps to be taken.”
In second place was Scott
Mclay, his 19-year-old training partner at the University of Stirling who made a compelling case for a relay spot, at least, in the worlds squad. Scott was his rabbit. He pursued him gamely.
“I’ve got that front speed,” said the teenager, who lowered his best to 49.05 secs. “Duncan was on my left-hand side and I
knew if I stuck with him, he’d push me through. And that’s what I did.”
Max Litchfield convincingly secured his worlds invite in the 400m individual medley with victory in a qualifying time of 4:10.94.
“It takes the pressure off for the rest of the week and we can have some fun,” the European silver medallist admitted. He was over five seconds clear of Mark Szaranek, with the 23-year-old Fifer, who landed Commonwealth silver in 2018, off the pace on his return from his training hub in Florida.
“It’s slower than I wanted to go,” he acknowledged. “I’d have liked to have qualified for the world championships on my first attempt but I have two more shots in the events I’m now leaning more towards, the 200IM and 200m freestyle.” In fifth was 17-yearold Callum Lawrie, recently declared for Scotland, in a time likely to earn him a start at this summer’s world junior championships in Budapest.
Daniel Jervis also automatically gained his summons to Gwangju by winning the men’s 1500m freestyle in 14:46.51, just shy of the British record set by fellow Welshman David Davies when he landed Olympic bronze in Athens.
“I wanted to take David’s time,” the 22-year-old confirmed. “But I did that race on my own with a lot of talented guys in that pool. This was my day. I just had to keep focused even though I was really nervous because I put a lot of pressure on myself.”
Alys Thomas won the women’s 200m butterfly with Hannah Miley sixth. Meanwhile Anna Hopkin took the women’s 50m freestyle title in 24.99 secs, with Edinburgh University’s Rachel Masson fifth as organisers issued an apology over an equipment failure that provided inexact timings in a number of 50m events over the opening two days.