Tom Dean On Smartness As Key To 4×2 Success; Time For ‘Something Special’ In the 4×100 Free
Tom Dean says one of the key factors in Great Britain’s continued 4×200 free success is “executing a smart race.”
Since James Guy anchored the quartet to victory at the 2015 worlds in Kazan, Russia, Great Britain have won world titles in 2017 and 2023 as well as bronze in 2022.
Silver at Rio 2016 was followed by gold five years later in Tokyo when Dean and Guy were joined by Matt Richards and Duncan Scott with the quartet just 0.03 off the WR in 6:58.58.
The USA set the standard of 6:58.55 at the 2009 World Championships in Rome at the peak of the supersuit era.
Tom Dean: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
The Games also showcased Great Britain’s excellence in the 200 free where Dean and Scott claimed a 1-2 finish in the individual event.
A strength that means Dean will not compete in the individual event in Paris after finishing third at the trials behind Richards and Scott.
The quartet combined to win the world title in Fukuoka last year and Dean believes their combined, focused confidence has played a part in how they execute their race and their subsequent sustained success on the world stage.
He told Swimming World:
“People have taken notice of us in that event for a number of years now.
“Even last year, the Americans were hot on our heels and I was anchoring but I knew that even though we only had a small, few-metres gain on the Americans, I was confident in my ability and the ability of the team.
“Everyone knows the right thing to say: I had Duncan behind me on the blocks saying just the right thing and it meant I was able to go in and execute a smart race.”
He adds:
“We’re all smart swimmers when it comes to the 200 free. It’s very easy to get caught up in it and the Americans are quite guilty of it.
“Going out way too hard, getting too excited and then not being able to execute a smart race.
“I think that’s the beauty of the 4×2. It’s not lie the sprint events where it is just hell for leather, you have to be quite tactical and I think that’s one of our strengths.”
While Great Britain have won plenty of silverware in the 4×2 through the years, the men’s 4×100 free relay has never made the Olympic podium.
Matt Richards & Tom Dean: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia
They haven’t reached the final for the last three Games, finishing 0.03 outside the eighth and last spot at Tokyo.
Richards won the trials in London followed by Scott, Dean and Alexander Cohoon with Jacob Whittle and Jack McMillan also selected.
The quartet seemed set to be real medal contenders at the 2023 worlds only to be DQd for Whittle’s false start.
Dean believes that the quartet can make history by reaching the podium on day one at La Defense Arena.
“I think we’ve been a podium shot in that event for a number of years now and it’s never quite come to fruition. It’s never quite materialised.
“We’ve had enough people but maybe not everyone is firing on the day but maybe we have a spanner thrown in the works like last year with the disqualification – I was convinced we could have had a really nice medal on that event.
“So I feel like it’s being bubbling under the surface for a long time now.
“We’ve got the depth, we have the age range, we have the speed, we have the experience, we have the youthfulness – we have all the right ingredients for a great 4×1 freestyle relay and I do believe if we can get it right and everyone is firing like I know they are, this time around that something pretty special will happen in that event.”
