Dean stuns Scott again in latest battle of high-speed stars

TOM DEAN edged out Duncan Scott for victory in the 200metres individual medley at the British Swimming Championships in Sheffield in another epic battle between the UK’s two high-speed swimming stars.

This time, the winner was decided by just seven-hundredths of a second, a fraction less than the margin when the Englishman snatched freestyle gold from the Scot at the Tokyo Olympics. A disappointed Scott, who clocked 1:56.72, has spent the past 15 months dealing with an immune deficiency that’s left him fighting fatigue. But he looks primed again to hunt more medals at June’s world championships in Japan.

The 25-year-old (pictured) said: ‘I don’t need to come here and do fireworks. It’s about getting on the team first. It’s another solid performance and we’ll look back and see where I can improve.

‘I’m one of the best swimmers in the world so any race I come into is going to be good and be competitive. Deano’s one of the best swimmers in the world as well. So to be able to go head to head with him makes it exciting.’

Katie Shanahan earned a British title double with the European medallist, 18, dominating the women’s 200m medley in a Scottish record of 2:09.40 that was inside the qualifying mark for Fukuoka.

Reigning world champion Ben Proud flew to men’s 50m freestyle gold in 21.71 seconds. But Olympic champion Kathleen Dawson’s hopes of a fairytale return from a crippling back injury to earn a crack at the worlds look over after she came fourth in the women’s 50m backstroke as Lauren Cox struck gold.

Paris 2024, however, remains the goal for Dawson who had to sit out most of last year with a disc problem that still leaves her in daily pain.

‘It’s bittersweet because I’m obviously so proud of where I’ve come from,’ said the Scot, who delivered her quickest time of 2023.

‘But at the same time, it’s hard because I want to be doing the times that will qualify for worlds. I’d love to be there. It’s frustrating in that sense. But I need to remember to put into context where I’ve been.’