200 metres Freestyle, Men

Sun Yang was the 2019 World Champion and the Rio de Janeiro gold medallist but he run afoul of doping controls and could not compete. In his absence there was no clear favorite. Britain’s Duncan Scott had the fastest semi-final qualifier with 1:44.60, followed by American Kieran Smith, Lithuanian Danas Rapsys, and Scott’s teammates, Tom Dean. Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto was the silver medallist in the 200 free at the 2018 Pan Pacs and the 2019 World Championships, and was a hometown favorite, but he finished in a tie for 16th in the heats, and although he won a swim-off, elected not to take part in the semi-finals.

In the final Korea’s Hwang Seon-Wu led through 100 metres, splitting 49.78, and maintained his lead through 150, but he had nothing left and would finish seventh. Behind him Dean and Brazil’s Fernando Scheffer exchanged second and third to 150 metres, while Scott was only sixth at 100 metres, moving up to fourth at 150.

Scott closed the fastest 26.46 for the final 50 metres, as Scheffer faded, but Scott just missed catching Dean, who held on for the gold medal in 1:44.22, only 0.04 seconds ahead of Scott, as Britain went 1-2. Scheffer held on for the bronze, holding off Romania’s David Popovici by 2/100ths of second.

Scott, who had two relay medals from Rio, would add three more medals in Tokyo, with him and Tom Dean helping Great Britain win gold in the 4 x 200 free relay.