SCOTLAND'S Duncan Scott has won a gold medal for Team GB in the men’s 4×200 metres freestyle relay final.
The quartet of Scott, Tom Dean, James Guy and Matthew Richards won the gold in a time of 6min 58.8sec, which was just three-hundredths off the world record set by Michael Phelps’ USA team in 2009.
They saw off the Russian Olympic Committee and Australia to secure Team GB’s third swimming gold of Tokyo 2020.
READ MORE: Duncan Scott wins Scotland's first medal of the Tokyo Olympics
It was Great Britain’s first gold medal in the event since 1908, and it also snapped one of the longer winning streaks in Olympic swimming – it was the first time since Sydney 2000 that anyone has beaten the USA in this event.
Scott said: “It’s really special with these boys. Matt in third was so composed and the boys up front executed their race plans really well. So close to a world record in the end – if anything I’m a bit gutted!”
He’s done it again! Another incredible swim from @Dunks_Scott to take gold for @TeamGB in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay at #Tokyo2020.
— sportscotland (@sportscotland) July 28, 2021
What a performance from the whole team including Duncan, @tomdean00, @CalumJarvis, @Jimbob95goonand @M4ttRichards #ScotsOnTeamGB pic.twitter.com/a2Gei2stSr
Yesterday Scott won silver in the 200m freestyle.
Elsewhere, Scottish duo Harry Leask and Angus Groom helped Great Britain secure a surprise silver in the quadruple sculls after a difficult morning for British Rowing at the Olympics.
Leask, Groom, Tom Barras and Jack Beaumont held off the fast-finishing Australia boat by 0.22secs.
Groom, who is from Glasgow, told the BBC: “We just backed each other, trusted everyone to do their jobs.
“We just said throw everything at it and the result will be the result – if we come sixth, if we come first and we came second. It was pretty much the perfect race for me.
Leask, who is from Edinburgh added: “We did what we wanted to in that first half and I was looking across, it was really encouraging. It's just amazing.”
From left: Harry Leask, Angus Groom, Tom Barras and Jack Beaumont
Beaumont said: “It was wild out there, these conditions are rough but its what were used to back at home so we've trained in this so many times. It did not shake us.
“We decided, we're in lane one, outside chance of a medal, let's take it out, let's take it to them and we really did it.
“I'm so happy. It's another step on our way to get a gold.”
Scots Helen Glover and Polly Swann will compete in the women's coxless pair final tomorrow after finishing second in the semi-final.
The Team GB duo were leading from early on and for much of the race looked well on course for a world-best time in Tokyo.
But Greece came from nowhere to win the semi-final while Olympic champions Australia were pushed out after Canada finished third.
Scottish swimmer Ross Murdoch missed out on qualifying for the men’s 200m breaststroke final tomorrow after finishing joint fifth in his heat in 2:09.97. James Wilby qualified second fastest, recording a time of 2:07.91
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