Scott to drop 100m free at worlds due to schedule clash

LONDON : Britain's most decorated Olympic swimmer Duncan Scott will compete in only one solo event, the 200m individual medley, as well as relays at next month's world championships in Japan due to a schedule clash.

He told reporters on Tuesday he would not swim the 100m freestyle that he qualified for at the British trials because the heats for that and the IM were back to back at the championships in Fukuoka.

Scott won 200m IM silver at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics along with gold in the 4x200m freestyle and silver in 200m freestyle and 4x100m medley.

The four medals made him Britain's most medalled athlete at a single Olympics.

Scott also won two relay silvers at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and has five world championship medals including three golds.

He missed last year's world championships in Budapest due to the lingering effects of COVID-19 and failed to qualify for the 200m free this time, although his time was good enough for the 4x200m relay.

"I’m really excited to try out just one individual event," said Scott, who will still have a busy relay programme.

"I might feel fresher, you never know. This might be the new way...come the later rounds, will I feel better than doing loads of events?"