Scott pipped by pal Dean as pair get ready for British Championships
Friends first, rivals second, Duncan Scott and Tom Dean’s duels in the pool are mightily beneficial to both.
A silver for the Scot and a gold for the Englishman in the men’s 200 metres freestyle final at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics will live as a classic British sporting scrap on the highest stage of them all.
The stakes were a little lower for their reunion in the same event at the Edinburgh International last night but the competitiveness has barely dimmed.
Once again it was Dean who narrowly prevailed, victorious in 1:47.60 ahead of Scott, with James Guy third.
All three are Olympic champions from their side gig as relay comrades but the scrap for domestic supremacy bodes well, four weeks out from the British Championships from which selection for the subsequent world championships and Commonwealths will be made.
“I don't really mind where I finish in these races,” said Scott, who later fought off Andreas Vazaois to win the 200m individual medley
“That's not why I’m here. And I'm not here to swim fast today, tomorrow or next week. I like to think it's pretty obvious where I'm meant to swim fast.
“So, I'm quite happy with that. Happy with the 200 free as well.
“It’s a tough race. All the boys were in a similar position,
I thought it's just going to be a bit of a dogfight and you'll learn a lot from races as well.”
Stirling University’s other Olympic champion Kathleen Dawson held off Louise Hansson to win the women’s 100m backstroke in 1:01.04. While, with flu-hit Adam Peaty withdrawing, and Ross Murdoch on a break from the pool, James Wilby took the men’s 200m breaststroke.
Edinburgh University’s Kara Hanlon boosted her trials
build-up by taking the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:08.44 while Keanna Macinnes, one of Stirling’s young guns bidding to join the elite, impressively prevailed in the 200m butterfly in a positive step towards earning selection for the worlds.
“I've noticed my heat swims are a lot closer to my final times,” the 21-year-old from Livingston said. “But still I'm bringing my finals down a little bit, which is nice as well.”