2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
- World Aquatics Championships Arena
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Psych Sheet (Google Sheet Courtesy of Troyy)
- Psych Sheet (PDF)
With the entries recently published for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, we now know who will be competing in which events for the multitude of nations about to descend upon Singapore.
For the country of Great Britain, it means the question of ‘who will race the individual men’s 200m free race’ has been answered.
As a refresher, at the Aquatics GB Championships/World Championship Trials in April, Olympic medalists Duncan Scott and James Guy touched simultaneously to share 200m free gold. Both men hit a time of 1:45.08 to reach the wall first, with fellow Olympic medalist Matt Richards reaping the next spot in 1:45.35.
The Aquatics GB Selection Criteria did not specify procedures for a tie, which left British swim fans wondering what the outcome in Singapore would be in light of such a one-off scenario.
However, with the entrants released, we know that Guy will join Richards in the 200m free event, with Scott left vying for hardware in the 200m IM only. Of note, the 200m free will also represent Guy’s sole individual event in Singapore.
Entering the World Championships, Guy’s 1:45.08 checks the veteran in as the 7th-best performer in the world this season while Richards’ 1:45.35 ranks the newlywed 11th.
In other British Swimming news, Olympic champion Tom Dean now appears among the men’s 200m IM entries, despite the fact that the 25-year-old did not contest the event at the World Trials.
During the final in London, Scott picked up the win in 1:56.44 while Matthew Ward reaped silver in 1:59.13 and Evan Jones captured bronze in 1:59.21.
A minimum qualification time of 1:57.18 was set by Aquatics GB, however, and this is a threshold under which only Scott (1:55.28), Dean (1:56.07), Max Litchfield (1:56.64) and James Goddard (1:57.12) have ever been under.
Finally, Jack McMillan‘s name has been added to the men’s 400m free entries as the sole British representative
25-year-old McMillan placed 3rd in the event at the Aquatics GB Championships, producing a final mark of 3:50.05.
Seems logical to me, Guy has won a world title in this event, scott hasnt .
The only logical explanation is that Scott opted out of this event for one reason or another. Otherwise, it’s hard to see how Guy gets the nod ahead of him.
I agree.
About a month ago, Duncan Scott did a Q&A on his Weibo account to engage with the Chinese swimming fans and someone asked him a question about the 200 free.
For those interested, here’s a link to Duncan Scott’s Weibo account:
https://m.weibo.cn/u/7956705640?luicode=10000011&lfid=231583
Great find.
Wow didnt know he was on Weibo. “In Singapore at the @World Swimming Federation Championships. I’ll be racing the 200IM, 4×100 freestyle relay, 4×200 freestyle relay”
Also, it’s interesting that he still seemingly has a strong fanbase in China despite the Sun Yang controversy.
Agree on that last point.
It seems a waste to have him only doing those events. He’s one of my favourites.
Bit of a tangent, but he seemed to be very friendly with Pan at last years Swimming World Cup, when they were beating each other in subsequent events in the 400m free. Saw them walking off arm in arm, almost bromance level.
Don’t think this is the right decision but would love to see Guy finally go sub 1:45
Thought Guy wanted to get back into it the 400 free
Matthew Richards was second in the 200 free, not Matthew Ward!
Sorry. Matt was obviously third, after Scott & Guy.
Have to say that I’m surprised at this.
I often forget that Guy was the World Champion in this event 10 years ago!
Interestingly the 1:45.08 he swam at trials is faster than his 2015 WC winning time