Britain retain men’s 4×200 metres freestyle gold

Britain retained their men’s 4 x 200 metres freestyle relay gold medal at the Paris Olympics, fending off a dogged challenge by the United States at La Defense Arena.

Australia took the bronze.

The British quartet of James Guy, Tom Dean, Matthew Richards and Duncan Scott clocked 6:59.43, edging the Americans by 1.35 seconds, to take Britain’s first gold in the pool of the 2024 Games.

Jack McMillan and Kieran Bird, who swam in the heats, also got gold medals.

Belfast-born McMillan’s gold was the second by a Northern Irish swimmer in a matter of minutes, with Magheralin’s Daniel Wiffen earlier taking the 800 metre freestyle title for Ireland.

Scott’s gold was a record seventh Olympic medal — two golds and five silvers — for a British swimmer and there was no way he was going to be caught on the last leg, while Guy swam a personal best over the opening 200 metres.