Matt Richards claims win in fiercely-contested British 100m freestyle to secure Paris 2024 Olympic spot
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Published 05/04/2024 at 11:05 GMT
Matt Richards saw off British team-mates Tom Dean and Duncan Scott to book a place in the 100m freestyle event at the the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The trio will come up against each other again in a fiercely-contested men’s 200m freestyle on Sunday. Meanwhile, 400m medley world champion Freya Colbert confirmed a place at the Olympics in the same event.
Matthew Richards of Millfield after winning the men's 100m Freestyle Paris Final during Day Three of the British Swimming Championships 2024 on April 04, 2024 in London, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
Matt Richards won a fiercely-contested 100 metres freestyle final at the British Championships to book a place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Just two Olympic places were available among a field featuring Richards, Tom Dean and Duncan Scott.
All three swimmers finished under the Olympic qualification time, but Richards’s winning time of 47.84 seconds was enough to earn him the automatic place for Paris 2024.
Scott is well in contention for the second Olympic spot after finishing in 47.92, while Dean missed out with third place in 47.94.
"That race was just as high pressure as an Olympic final," Richards said. "I thought I was capable of a bit quicker - maybe it wasn't the best executed race but I can't complain.
"I got the job done and have left plenty in the tank for the summer."
Alex Cohoon's fourth-place finish netted him a spot in Britain’s Olympic 4x100m relay squad, with his team set to comprise Richards, Scott and Dean.
Richards, Dean and Scott will race against each other again in the men’s 200m freestyle on Sunday.
This may be even more competitive than the 100m freestyle – Dean is the 200m freestyle Olympic champion, Scott is the Olympic silver medallist and Richards was the discipline’s world champion in 2023.
Meanwhile, 400m medley world champion Freya Colbert booked an Olympic place in the same event by triumphing in London in 4:34.01.
Katie Shanahan will likely take the second Olympic spot after finishing in 4:36.67.
Colbert had already won the 200m British freestyle title earlier this week, but has said she likely won’t compete in that event at the Olympics because of a clash with the 400m medley.
The 20-year-old will likely race world record holder Summer McIntosh in the 400m medley at Paris 2024. The 17-year-old was absent from this year’s World Aquatics Championships.
"McIntosh is head and shoulders above the rest," Colbert said. "I am not going to be saying I am going to do it. I don't know if this will be the time.
"I would love it to be but I am also very realistic. I know what the rest of the field looks like."
Three other British swimmers confirmed their place at the Paris 2024 Olympics – Daniel Jervis in the men’s 1500m freestyle, Anna Hopkin in the women’s 50m freestyle and Max Litchfield in the men’s 400m medley.
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The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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