He might be becoming known as a slow starter at major competitions but James Guy demonstrated once again his ability to dig deep when it matters as he helped Great Britain to a final silver at the World Championships.
It was a busy time for Bury-born swimmer Guy in Budapest with Thursday his only day off at a competition which saw him compete across six different events.
Two years ago, the 21-year-old came away with double the amount of individual silverware compared to relay success having won 200m and 400m freestyle gold and silver respectively as well as 4x200m gold.
There were another three medals in the Hungarian capital but after struggling to fire in the freestyle events at the start of the week – finishing sixth in the 400m and fourth in the 200m freestyle finals – Guy came good later on, especially in the relays.
There was bronze in the 100m butterfly while he helped Great Britain defend their 4x200m crown.
And he rounded off matters in the 4x100m medley on the Sunday, reuniting with his Olympic silver medal-winning teammates from Rio last year to again finish runners up to America.
And when questioned on his progressive build into the Championships, Guy conceded it may not be a physical issue.
“I think it’s emotional more than anything, the taper was perfect. I felt unbelievable in the water doing freestyle so it was all there,” he said.
“It’s just controlling your emotions. And once the 200m was done, my body came right down. I could feel it, I was sleeping better, I was more relaxed.
“Tonight I was running on gas fumes, I knew it would be tough as it’s been a hell of a big week.
“I swam pretty much every day and only had one day off. I’m tired now and I can feel it.”
Despite his busy schedule, Guy’s relay split of 50.80 on Sunday was actually quicker than he managed in Rio by over half a second.
Teammate and five-time World Champion Adam Peaty also had a big part to play, pulling the team right into the mix on the second leg before handing over to Guy with Duncan Scott then anchoring them home.
“Adam (Peaty) is a big part of the team and an absolute powerhouse. I think I partnered him tonight,” added Guy.
“I was .5 faster than Rio so I can’t say no to that and it’s great to finish it all off with another medal.”
You can help the next generation of young British swimmers by getting involved in SportsAid Week this September with five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds OBE. Find out more about how you can support the week of fun and fundraising by visiting www.sportsaid.org.uk/sportsaidweek.
