Great Britain retain gold for men’s 4x200m freestyle

Great Britain retained their gold medal in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay at the Paris Olympics, repelling a cheeky challenge from 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, beating the Americans by 1.35 seconds, to take Britain’s first group gold of the 2024 Games.

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

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

Scott’s gold was a record seventh Olympic medal — two gold and five silver — for a British swimmer and was unlikely to be caught in the final leg, while Guy swam a personal best in the first 200 of meters.