Three-time Great Britain Olympian Duncan Scott has set his focus on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and streamlined his target events, notably forgoing the 100 freestyle in favor of the 200 free and 200 IM.
In an interview with Olympics.com, the 28-year-old Scott said that by dropping the 100 free, he knows he may not be considered for the 4×100 relays, which is a change he is willing to make.
“If I don’t do the 100m free, I might not be included in the 4x100m relay, but I’m willing to make that sacrifice to be better,” Scott said in an interview with Olympics.com “If I really want to focus on the 200m, some of the more endurance-focused areas and small details kind of get taken away if I’m also trying to do that 100m free.”
Scott has been a mainstay for Great Britain on the international stage, winning two relay Olympic golds and five world championship relay golds throughout his career. Still, he has never reached the top of the Olympic or world championship podium individually, having won silver in the 200 free in Tokyo and silver in the 200 IM in both Tokyo and Paris.
“I’m the Olympic Games’ most decorated silver medallist,” Scott said in reference to his haul of six silvers he has accumulated throughout his Olympic swimming career. “That in itself keeps me hungry because there are still a couple of things missing from the drawer.”
Scott nearly secured gold in the 200 free in Tokyo, after being out-touched by fellow countryman and training partner at the University of Stirling, Tom Dean, by just four hundredths of a second.
When the Olympics take place at SoFi Stadium in 2028, Scott will be 31, but he welcomes the large venue, having notched his best 200 free and 200 IM times in front of a limited crowd in Tokyo in 1:44.26 and 1:55.28, respectively.
“The seating capacity is huge. The swimming world has never seen anything like that. In Tokyo, there was probably 10 to 15 people shouting on everyone, so that’s going to be pretty exciting,” Scott said. “But that’s not the thing that keeps me going. The Olympic Games being the pinnacle of our sport and wanting to be at my best is the thing that spurs me on.”
Scott recently raced at the Aquatics GB Championships in London, where he won the 200 IM comfortably in 1:56.08, a time that ranks him 4th in the world this season. He also finished 3rd in the 200 free, behind James Guy (1:45.38, tied for 8th-fastest in the world this season) and Matthew Richards (1:44.77, #4 in the world this season) clocking 1:45.44, which puts him 10th in the world this season.
“having won silver in the 200 free in Tokyo and silver in the 200 free in both Tokyo and Paris.” Riiiiiight..《 /sigh》
Would put him in 4 x100 over Guy/McMillan/Shepherd/Whittle atm. And probs at least three of them by the time LA comes around
Move to down under and train with Dean Boxall – and it will be all good!
Is he a more decorated silver medalist than Regan or Laszlo Cseh?
I think he has one more than Regan, but Regan has more individual silvers while only competing at 2 Olympics compared to 3. Laszlo only has 4 silvers and 2 bronze
Duncan has 3 individual silvers, Regan 4 silvers and 1 bronze, Laszlo 4 silvers and 2 bronze.
Surely he’ll still lay down a time in the 100 at trials for consideration for the 4×1 relay?
Very likeable swimmer. I hope he succeeds!!
Curious to see how far he is willing to take the 200Fly and agree with the comment on the 400IM. Not sure we’ll see the latter now, 2022 was his year in that and after a 4’09 in April he missed the worlds.
The standard and depth is hitting up in the GB now, recent champs were promising in places.
I called Dean over a year out when his PB was 1.46something and I made a handsome profit on that so I won’t cry about it too much, but Duncan was the best 200 freestyler in the world in 2021 and would have won his individual gold medal if Dean wasn’t between Hwang and Scheffer.
I hope Dean gave Hwang a nice fruit basket because he owes him a massive thank you.