Britain seek historic Olympic medal haul after World Championships success

New world champion Matt Richards says there is “no reason” why British swimmers cannot achieve a record Olympic medal haul at Paris 2024 after impressive performances at the World Championships.

The team achieved a landmark total of eight medals at Tokyo 2020, a figure they equalled in the championships in Japan, despite the absence of talisman Adam Peaty.

Richards was one of several GB swimmers who excelled in Fukuoka, claiming a maiden world 200m freestyle title before helping the men’s 4x200m as well as the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay teams to gold and bronze respectively.

There were further honours for Tom Dean, Duncan Scott and Ben Proud, while Lauren Cox became the first female British swimmer to claim an individual world medal since 2015.

“We’re all ambitious, we all want to keep improving and take the sport to another level,” Richards told BBC Sport.

“The team is coming on, from strength to strength, and eight medals here even without Adam a year out from the Olympics – you can’t ask for much more than that.

“I’d be lying if I said any of us thought this was our limit and there’s no reason we can’t achieve more next year.”

After winning a record-breaking four Olympic medals in Tokyo, Scott said the attitude Peaty had brought to the team had been crucial in changing the mindset following a disappointing London 2012 Olympics. That belief and desire to dominate is something five-time world champion and BBC Radio 5 Live swimming commentator Karen Pickering believes remains with the team, despite the Olympic gold medal winner’s absence. BBC