Great Britain’s James Guy not only won the first World Championships medal of his career, the 20-year old did it in national record-breaking fashion.
Guy finished behind China’s Sun Yang to earn the silver medal in today’s 400m freestyle event at the 2015 FINA World Championships, registering a time of 3:43.75 for his efforts. Guy was seeded second out of prelims, where he clocked a 3:45.37, but took things up a notch to shave off even more time and surpass his own British record of 3:44.16 he set earlier this year at British Nationals.
Said Guy of his impressive feat,”Everyone wants to win obviously, but I can’t be happier to win a medal at the World Championships – I’m over the moon with that one.”
Guy finished just over a second behind now three-peat 400m World Championship medalist, Sun Yang, who wound up winning the race in a time of 3:42.58. But, the Brit kept his composure and his speed up the entire race, feeding off of the Chinese competitor’s tactics.
“I tried to race that from the start and back-end it. Sun Yang is a distance swimmer so he has more endurance than I do so my best chance was to go out hard and try and hold on”, stated Guy when asked about his racing strategy. “It was stroke for stroke and that’s what it will be like next year as well, maybe with a couple more guys in there – so that will be the big one.”
Among the many celebratory messages Guy received from around the world, his own Scottish mate, elite breaststroker Michael Jamieson, offered up his own candid congratulations. His tweet of course is referencing the ban Sun Yang served for having testing positive for a prohibited substance back in 2014.
Proud of the boy @Jimbob95goon …unbelievable talent. Bettered only by a convicted doper. You're the World Champ in my eyes sir! #Kazan2015
— Michael Jamieson (@mj88live) August 2, 2015
Jamieson, bringin’ the heat!
Jamieson is always very outspoken on doping issues, it’s a thing with him, which I like. And Sun Yang’s treatment WAS ridiculously lenient.
I hope Horton redeems himself in the longer distances.. sure rookie mistake, I’d give you that Mack
But David McKeon is out of excuses…
Where were the Aussie boys! Oh, they didn’t swims fast enough to make the finals! The Tradition continues!
Guy just showed the Aussie boys how its done at World level…
That he certainly did !! Both were shown up as gross amateurs with regards to their approach and paid the consequences. It’s early enough in Horton’s career that he can hopefully “get the message” and be a lot more switched on in future. Sadly, this is McKeon’s 4th year on the senior team and he still hasn’t got it together. Along with certain others, there is a strong case to be made for “drawing a line” through the names of serial non-performers. Like the USA, there is a very strong case for reviewing selection policy.
It will be very interesting to see how Guy shapes up in the 200 which currently looks very open with no real clear favourite. Whilst… Read more »
I would say McKeon has a definite problem when it comes to racing at Worlds.
Three times he has been at a global meet, and 3 times he has failed to make the final in the 400. In the past two years, his best times in the 200 and 400 have all come from Aussie Nationals. In 2013 not only did he add 6 seconds to his Nationals time (of 3:43!) but he also added 2.3 leading off the 800 free relay, making the Aussies miss the final. He was better at Commonwealths and Pan Pacs but still couldn’t match his times. And I wonder if the smaller meets gave him less pressure, hence resulting in better performances. … Read more »
I think he should go back to surfing . He never swum until his last year of high school & is likely just not competitive minded. He had enormous genetic swim abilities but you can’t push mental thresholds.
After 2013 which was abysmal ,I thought he might be down but not at all . He gave a funny uplifting speech at the Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club charity benefit . He was just Dave local lad who surprisingly does 400 world class times on very little aerobic background .
I don’t think it would be godo have 2olympic flunks though . Get out & maintain your sanity.