Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Duncan Scott adds to medal haul with silver in 200m medley

Scotland’s Duncan Scott added to his medal tally on Friday with silver in the men’s 200m individual medley, smashing his personal best in the process.
Duncan Scott poses with his silver medal after the final of the men's 200m individual medleyDuncan Scott poses with his silver medal after the final of the men's 200m individual medley
Duncan Scott poses with his silver medal after the final of the men's 200m individual medley

The Stirling-based swimmer finished in 1:55.28 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, beating the 1:55.90 he previously set to improve his own British record and complete a medal hat-trick in Japan.

Scott finished just 0.28 seconds behind winner Wang Shun of China, just missing out on his target of a first individual Olympic gold as he picked up a third silver of the 2020 Games but moving up from fifth going into the final leg of the event.

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The 24-year-old said afterwards: “I have to be proud. The winner did a big PB as well. It was always going to be tight, always going to be exciting.

“I had to try and commit to more to 150m because I know I’m going to come back strong in the last 50m. I’ve done that, I’m really happy with the swim, it just wasn’t quite there.

“It’s the first international medal I’ve won in that event so I’m really happy with that. It’s a big PB again, I’ve taken over a-second-and-a-half off the time this year.

“I’ve got to hold my head up high with that.”

Scott’s hat-trick of silvers means he is just the sixth Team GB member in any sport to win three medals in one Olympics, and he will be aiming to go one better when he returns to the pool for Sunday’s medley final.

If he finishes in the medal positions this weekend he will become the first British athlete to win four medals at the same Olympics.

His total Olympic haul of five medals means he is now the joint-most decorated British swimmer in Olympic history, and the first swimmer to win three at a single Games in more than 100 years, since Henry Taylor’s exploits at the London 1908 Games.

“I have not had time to reflect on that, I will evaluate it at the end of the week but I have a couple of important things to do for relays now and I have got to do what I can for the team where possible.

“We still have opportunities in the pool, especially the 4x100m medley. I really enjoying it with those guys, it is special so I am really looking forward to that.”

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Meanwhile, Luke Greenbank took bronze in the men’s 200m backstroke as the Crewe-born swimmer won his first ever Olympic medal.

Greenbank finished in 1:54:72, behind winner Evgeny Rylov of the ROC, who set a new Olympic record, and silver-medallist Ryan Murphy of the USA.

"It’s amazing, a dream come true,” Greenbank told BBC Sport afterwards. “I am so happy, over the moon… and a bit lost for words.

"My first memory of swimming was watching the Beijing Olympics so it has always been an ambition of mine. To come away with a medal, and an individual one at that, is absolutely amazing.”

Team GB’s Molly Renshaw and Abbie Wood finished sixth and seventh respectively in the women's 200m breaststroke final while Anna Hopkin finished seventh in the women’s 100m freestyle.

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