Back-to-back Olympic titles for record-breaking relay team

Record-breakers James Guy, Tom Dean, Matt Richards and Duncan Scott wrote themselves into the history books as they became back-to-back Olympic champions with a stunning 4x200m Freestyle relay swim.

They secured Team GB’s first swimming gold medal of Paris 2024 with an all-round assured performance that saw them dominate throughout as they lead from start to finish before triumphing by 1.35 seconds from the trailing United States of America.

It is the first time that the same four members of a British relay team in either swimming or athletics have successfully defended their Olympic title.

Three years after winning gold in front of only their team-mates at the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Guy, Dean, Richards and Scott celebrated wildly with their family and friends at a packed Paris La Defense Arena.

They were the only team to break the seven-minute mark, clocking 6:59.43 following four fantastic legs.

That might have been slightly slower than their Tokyo-winning European record time but it was an impressive display nonetheless.

Guy led off with a 1:45.09 first leg which saw Dean dive into the pool ahead of the rest of the field.

The 2020 200m Freestyle Olympic champion clocked 1:45.28 before handing over to Matt Richards, who carried on the fine form that saw him take silver in the individual race on Monday – and less than two hours after he finished sixth in his semi-final and 12th overall in the Men’s 100m Freestyle..

Richards’ time of 1:45.11 gave Scott an advantage over the rest of the field as he dived in and it was a lead he never looked like relinquishing as he swam a remarkable 1:43.95 on the anchor to triumph by more than a body length while being roared home by his team-mates.

Guy said: “Obviously winning the gold in Tokyo, we were silver in Rio, and to win again with the lads is fantastic. 

“I think we are probably at the pinnacle of GB freestyle swimming. What we are seeing is amazing and to do that again and repeat history is pretty cool.

“Tonight was a great race for all of us and it’s nice to be at the at the top of the podium.”

Dean said he had been waiting for three years to repeat the achievement so he could enjoy it with his family and friends.

“It felt like a re-run,” he said. “Winning it in Tokyo was incredible but winning it again here but having all our family and all our friends is so special and that’s what we do it for. 

It’s an honour

“We raced the race exactly how we wanted to do it. All these boys put together real mature swims. 

“This Olympics has just been about those races because times come second – it’s all about getting your hand on the wall first.

“It’s so, so special and you saw the support and what it means to all our family and friends. It’s just an honour.”

Scott hailed a ‘special’ team bond between the four of them.

“There are so many great individuals in that team,” he said. ”But when we come together, it is so special.

“It fills you with confidence going up in the block with those guys.

“I am standing behind an Olympic champion, a world champion and a world champion. I’m thinking, ‘I am in a pretty good place’.”

Richards added: “The headline tonight is being here with these three boys again – it’ s such a privilege.”

Kieran Bird and Jack McMillan, who both played a part in helping the team qualify fastest from the morning’s heats, will also receive a gold medal.

Anna Hopkin missed out on a place in the Women’s 100m Freestyle final after finishing 11th overall.

She finished in a time of 53.74 to take sixth place after slipping down the ranks following a flying first 50m which saw her in third place at the turn.