Relay silver for James Guy takes final medal tally to eight for Bath swimmers in Tokyo

Swimmers who train at the University of Bath are bringing a phenomenal eight medals home from Tokyo 2020, seven of them gold, after helping Team GB enjoy their most successful Olympics Games in the pool ever.

Team Bath star James Guy completed a hat-trick of medals in the last event of an incredible week as he teamed up with Luke Greenbank, Adam Peaty and Duncan Scott to win silver in the men’s 4x100m medley relay with a new European Record of 3:27.51.

Guy, coached by David McNulty, had previously won gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay and mixed 4x100m medley relay as part of a British Swimming squad that medalled in eight events in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, securing a best-ever medal haul.

Reflecting on the race, Guy said: "The way this week has been for British Swimming is unbelievable, with medals all over the place.

"If you'd talked to us in 2015 or 2016, we'd have bit their hand off.

"It's been a great meet so far, we're a bit sad that we didn't get the gold today but it's a world record and we played our part in that."

Sunday’s successes means that six swimmers will be returning to their Team Bath Sports Training Village training base with medals. 

Mechanical Engineering student Tom Dean, started the gold rush with an incredible victory in the 200m freestyle and was joined by Guy, Matt Richards and Sports Performance graduate Calum Jarvis in winning the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Training partner Freya Anderson is also an Olympic Champion after her excellent anchor leg in the mixed 4x100m medley relay heats.

Sports & Exercise Science graduate Anna Hopkin, who swam the freestyle anchor leg in the mixed medley relay final, is also bringing home gold from her debut Olympic Games.

Earlier in the final morning of racing, Ben Proud – who has been training with University of Bath Head of Swimming Mark Skimming this year – went mighty close to claiming another medal in the men’s 50m freestyle final, his time of 21.72 in fifth place being less than two-tenths of a second off a podium place. 

He said: “It’s a tough one, that’s for sure. A lot of people have invested their time and energy into me, I wish I could’ve brought them something home but that’s just how it is,” he said.

“Swimming has taken me on an amazing journey. To be at the Olympics, it’s been a tough year, a tough couple of years and I’m still motivated to come back and keep swimming. My family, my girlfriend, everyone has been massively supportive.

“The good thing is some of the athletes in there are getting well into their 30s and are still going, so I’ve got a couple more years left. I thought this one was a good one for me, it just didn’t quite happen but that’s how it is.”