Duncan Scott praises Team GB's swimming talent pool

Duncan Scott was quick to pay tribute to his team-mates after he walked away from his maiden Olympic Games with two silver medals around his neck.

Chris Walker-Hebborn, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Duncan Scott show off their silver medals after the mens 4x100m medley relay final. Picture: AP

The 19-year-old first showed his burgeoning talent at the 2014 Commonwealth Game in Glasgow, where he helped Scotland to 4x200m freestyle silver, before picking up gold with Team GB at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing.

A year later Scott left the 2015 European Games in Baku with six medals, including gold in the 100m and 200m freestyle and in the 4x100m freestyle relay, while at this year’s Worlds he won 4x200m freestyle relay gold.

And now the Stirling swimmer can boast two Olympic silver medals after a strong showing in Rio.

The first came in Tuesday’s 4x200m freestyle final and then on Saturday night – the final night of swimming in Rio – he anchored the men’s 4x100m medley team to second­ place behind Michael Phelps’ American foursome.

Scott admitted it had been quite a rise through the ranks. “It’s great to be with the teams that I’m a part of,” he said. “I’m so lucky to be in a team such as the medley team.

“I got put into it at the start of the season. Winning the 100m freestyle at trials and then putting me in the relays for the Europeans was a bit of a risk. But hopefully I’ve shown out there I can do a job with the guys.

“The 4x200m guys are a phenomenal group as well. I’ve really got to thank the three other boys in each of the teams that I’ve been a part of. I was already in a medal position when I took over in that 4x100m freestyle final.

“I was in the gold position so I couldn’t quite get gold which is quite disappointing for me. But I’m still happy with the swim.”

Chris Walker-Hebborn gave the British quartet a solid start on the backstroke but it was Adam Peaty who turned on the burners with the breaststroke, moving them from sixth to first over just two lengths of the pool, his split a staggering 56.59 seconds. Double world champion James Guy maintained their podium place with his butterfly and then Scott held off the challenge of bronze medallists Australia before admitting the future looks bright for Britain’s relay swimmers.

“Me, Adam [Peaty] and James [Guy] are all relatively young, in our teens or early 20s” he said.

“Hopefully Chris [Walker-Hebborn] will have a couple more years left in him after this, we’ll see what happens. And the 4x200, the oldest person is 23. So both teams I’m a part of are pretty young. I’m looking forward to the years ahead.

“I’ve got five weeks off now, I’m sure it will be a good five weeks. Swimming ten times a week takes it out of you mentally and physically so 
I’m looking forward to having a couple of weeks off where I can get back to see the family.”

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