GBR’s Tom Dean & Matt Richards Most Likely Not Racing 200 Free In Doha

2024 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • February 11th – February 18th (pool swimming)
  • Doha, Qatar
  • LCM (50m)
  • Meet Central

Although we’re still anxiously awaiting the official entries for the 2024 World Aquatics Championships which begin next month, World Aquatics has been teasing some of the likely lineups via social media posts.

According to the organization’s post on ‘X’ regarding the men’s 200m freestyle, the following top contenders are among those expected to race:

Hwang Sunwoo (KOR)
Lukas Martens (GER)
Luke Hobson (USA)
Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN)
Duncan Scott (GBR)
Hojoon Lee (KOR)
Danas Rapsys (LTU)
Kai Taylor (AUS)

Specifically for Great Britain, this list includes its #2 performer of all-time Duncan Scott but leaves off reigning world champion Matt Richards and reigning Olympic champion Tom Dean.

21-year-old Richards pulled a surprise upset by winning gold in Fukuoka, ripping a lifetime best of 1:44.30. His time fell just .08 off the British national record and got him to the wall .02 ahead of Dean who snagged World Championships silver in 1:44.32.

Scott’s participation in the men’s 200m free this time is a departure from his Fukuoka schedule where the 26-year-old competed in just the men’s 200m IM individual event. He missed qualifying in the 200m free at the British Championships but did make selection in the 100m free. Scott wound up dropping the sprint before the meet and ultimately earned silver in the 200m IM.

Dean was also in that 200m IM race, bagging bronze while Richards’ other individual event was the 100m free. Richards placed 5th in the final but notched a new national record of 47.47 in the semi-final.

Scott, Dean and Richards were members of the gold medal-winning men’s 4x200m free relay while Richards also anchored the men’s medley which finished 5th in Fukuoka. Richards and Scott also raced in the heats of the men’s 4x100m free relay but the squad wound up getting disqualified.

All three were named to the 20-strong British roster for Doha.

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MastersSwimmer
9 months ago

Dean was interviewed after his Flanders’s swim and said he’s only going for the relay on the 1st day of Doha, then straight on to Aus for a training camp.

Alison England
9 months ago

They are just going to qualify the free relay.

Scuncan Dott V2
Reply to  Alison England
9 months ago

No Matt’s racing the individual 100 Free and some other relays too.

Alison England
9 months ago

I wasn’t surprised Matt Richards won in Fukuoka.

Imonar
9 months ago

So Popovici is not going

Sub13
9 months ago

Pretty sure they both (or at least one of them) told media recently that they’re literally just swimming 100 free relay to qualify and flying out the following morning

Scuncan Dott V2
Reply to  Sub13
9 months ago

Yep Tom said that. Matt said on Brett Hawke podcast that he’s stil racing the indiv. 100 Free and some other relays.

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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