Duncan Scott On Rightful Rewards & Celebrating Swimming Icons

Duncan Scott On Rightful Rewards & Celebrating Swimming’s Finest On Eve Of British Trials

Duncan Scott has a treasure trove that features two Olympic golds amongst eight medals and 5 world titles in a 10-strong haul.

With 10 titles amongst 24 medals throughout European Championships and Commonwealth Games and an extra seven medals within the continental short-course pool, Scott sits simply shy of fifty worldwide honours.

He’s Scotland’s most embellished Olympian and Britain’s most embellished swimmer and he turned the primary British athlete to win 4 medals at a single Olympic Games with a gold and three silvers at Tokyo 2020.

Duncan Scott: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia

The 28-year-old is an envoy for Scottish Swimming’s ‘Learn to Swim’ framework and he’s been a distinguished voice calling for motion to forestall the widespread closure of group swimming swimming pools.

His contribution to swimming was recognised in 2022 when he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) earlier than being appointed an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2025.

While additional silverware is beckoning, Scott’s legacy has already been cemented out and in of the pool, from his achievements on the sporting pinnacle by way of to his impassioned assist for the grassroots.

Despite all these accomplishments, the monetary and business returns for the likes of Scott and others within the Olympic enviornment are dwarfed by the eye-watering sums on supply in main international sports activities.

Scott has usually spoken about his devotion to swimming and he asserted as soon as extra that he doesn’t do it for the cash.

But he solid his eye elsewhere, telling reporters: “In the NBA for a rotation participant, who doesn’t see all of the minutes within the sport, you see the loopy five-year offers which might be signed.

“Or footballers, on 300k per week, 400k per week, issues like that. And among the greats of our sport received’t get anyplace close to that and that’s the fact of it. And it’s generally fairly a tricky capsule to swallow.

“The IOC and World Aquatics, I’d like more athletes to maybe speak out about how can we improve this area in the sport? But it’s maybe going to be something that’s going to take longer than just a couple of athletes speaking out. It probably needs to be a change and evolution.”

Swimming peaks as a spectator sport each 4 years and Scott questioned how that highlight and vitality may be maintained all through the Olympic cycle.

Duncan Scott: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL

While recognising its unresolved monetary points, Scott pointed to the ISL (International Swimming League) that operated for 3 seasons between 2019 and 2021 as a format that energised the game.

“I loved the ISL, and I thought was great for the sport,” he mentioned. “And that’s the kind of factor that I really like – simply racing day in and time out. Times get chucked out the window, and it’s nearly going head-to-head with different nice athletes. It took away the fixed simply nation in opposition to nation, and it switched it up.

“How often are you on a team with Brazilians, Australians, Americans and everything else? If you could create something like that, that would be awesome. But, I’ve checked my bank, I don’t quite have enough to set that up on my own.”

Cam McEvoy, Goosebumps & Celebrating Icons

When Cam McEvoy coated one size of the pool in 20.88secs eventually month’s China Open to surpass Cesar Cielo’s supersuited 50 free world document, it was celebrated throughout the swimming world and past.

There was a wave of jubilation that the Olympic and world champion had bettered by 0.01 the time apparently recorded by Kristian Gkolomeev beneath the banner of the Enhanced Games in May 2025.

Cam McEvoy: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia

World Aquatics’ submit instantly after the WR garnered 101,000 likes on Instagram.

Even so, Scott feels the game may do extra to have a good time and promote itself citing the assembly of Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh within the 800 free on the Pro Swim Series Westmont in March.

Describing the Australian’s WR efficiency as “goosebumps stuff,” he added: “Cam McEvoy – his first profession was nice. And now you’re taking a look at when he turns into a 50 freestyler as effectively, it’s simply unbelievable. And he’s not going to get something (monetary reward) for that – and  that makes me keep in mind one thing that pissed off me.

“I believe it was only some weeks earlier than that Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky had been racing, and no-one knew about it. Only just a few individuals spoke about how they had been going head-to-head.

“I checked World Aquatics Instagram, and so they’ve acquired throwback footage.

“And it’s like ‘come on. how are people meant to be following along?’ They’re going to retire as two of the greats. Katie, arguably the greatest in our sport, and Summer will finish as one of the best females to ever compete in our sport, I’d imagine. Why do we not know that they’re going head-to-head? I get it. That’s in season, but still, publicise it and shout about it and let people know.”

Looking To British Trials

Scott was talking forward of the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships which run on the Aquatics Centre in London from 14-19 April.

Tom Dean, Matt Richards, James Guy and Duncan Scott: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia

He was preselected to Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July with the European Championships in Paris beginning lower than a fortnight later.

Scott will compete within the 200 free the place he’ll lock horns with University of Stirling coaching companion and fellow Olympic and world 4×200 champion Jack McMillan though one other of their coaching secure Tom Dean is out with a shoulder harm. Matt Richards and James Guy additionally compete over 4 lengths.

He will even tackle the 200IM – during which he’s the two-time Olympic silver medallist – and the 200 fly the place he’ll meet the likes of Ed Mildred.

Looking to the trials and a busy summer season of racing, he mentioned: “I love the constant pursuit of trying to get better. I love sitting down with my team and being like, ‘I want to be better than I’ve ever been’.  There are certain areas in which I think I can do that.”