Tom Dean won’t be able to defend his Olympic title in Paris after not making the cut at the trials, despite his impressive performance in 2020.
Tom Dean walked away from Tokyo 2020 as the new British star in the pool so the reigning Olympic 200m freestyle champion admits it will be a wrench not being able to defend his crown in Paris.
Dean’s failure to secure a top-two spot in his preferred event at the recent British trials, despite his podium finishes at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships and his remarkable gold in Japan, highlights the significant progress of swimming in this country.
British hopes will be carried by reigning world champion Matt Richards and Tokyo silver medallist Duncan Scott, while Tom Dean’s focus will shift to the 200m individual medley, where he clinched world bronze last year, along with various relay events.
Dean expressed, “The selection policy’s toughness and the competitiveness within British swimming are evident. While I’m excited about the relay, the disappointment is still fresh and hard to accept.”
The rawness stems from it being the final race of the Championships. Despite two brilliant races earlier, missing out on selection by a narrow margin highlights the intensity of the sport, the challenges of high performance, and the competitiveness of the 200 free event in Great Britain.
A similar scenario occurs in Australia with the female freestyle event during their trials, where even some of the world’s fastest swimmers are bound to miss out on selection.
The 200m freestyle is notoriously challenging, as evidenced by the fact that no one has ever successfully defended the title. While the setback is tough, it doesn’t mark the end of Dean’s career in the event or his Olympic aspirations.
The 200m freestyle is notoriously challenging, as evidenced by the fact that no one has ever successfully defended the title. While the setback is tough, it doesn’t mark the end of Dean’s career in the event or his Olympic aspirations.
While the criteria may vary in other countries, Dean acknowledges that the current selection process brings out the best in swimmers, even if he finds himself on the outside this time around.
Dean has joined the ranks of over 1,000 elite athletes supported by UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme. This provides him with the opportunity to train full-time, access top-tier coaches, and receive cutting-edge medical support
Dean emphasized, “I truly believe we could have contended for the World Championships title in 2023 if not for being disqualified by a mere hundredth of a second in the heat. Currently, our team boasts three swimmers under 48 seconds at trials, a feat unprecedented in our history.”
Dean’s observation underscores the depth of talent in the event, mirroring the trajectory of the 4x200m freestyle relay in recent years. As more swimmers excel and the event gains popularity, it becomes increasingly competitive, ultimately leading to greater success and more medals. He anticipates significant strength in this event moving forward.
While Tom Dean may not defend his individual title in Paris, his Olympic journey is far from over, and there are still plenty of chapters left to be written.
