Tokyo 2020 - James Wilby finishes sixth in 200m breaststroke final as Izaac Stubblety-Cook takes gold
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ByEurosport
Updated 29/07/2021 at 06:11 GMT
Team GB's James Wilby started well but was not able to keep up with his rivals in the men's 200m breaststroke final as Australia's Izaac Stubblety-Cook stormed to an emphatic victory in Olympic record time at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.
James Wilby
Image credit: Getty Images
Australia's Izaac Stubblety-Cook wins gold in the men's 200m breaststroke final as Team GB's James Wilby was forced to settle for sixth.
The 22-year-old finished in a time of 2:06.38. Netherlands' Arno Kamminga picked up his second silver medal of the Games (2:07.01) while Finland's Matti Mattsson won his nation's first bronze with a time of 2:07.13.
“I was happy enough just to be here," Stubblety-Cook said post-race.
"This time last year we thought the Games were not going to happen. So I’m very happy just being here and even more happy with the result.”
In a race where there were arguably four frontrunners, with Stubblety-Cook the narrow favourite as world number one, Wilby did battle in lane five and got off to a fine start.
Wilby started strong but Kamminga touched first after the first 50m with the Brit 0.48 seconds behind in second.
Kamminga stormed well clear at the 100m mark, two seconds ahead of world record pace, with Mattsson 0.76 seconds behind in second followed by Wilby.
Wilby then trailed off at the 150m mark with Kamminga, Kattsson, Stubblety-Cook making up the top three and it became a battle between the trio.
Stubblety-Cook kept his ferocious pace until the very end and sealed a seventh gold medal for Australia in Olympic record time.
Lizzie Simmonds said on Eurosport commentary: "Amazing swim from Stubblety-Cook. We saw two very different pacing strategies. Kamminga came out very quickly, Stubblety-Cook out much slower and really worked that back end.
Wilby down in sixth, I'm sure he'll be a little disapointed with that but after only just making the semi-final it's another very impressive swim.
THOMAS FAILS TO MEDAL; SCOTT, GREENBANK WIN SEMIS
In the 200m butterfly final, Britain's Alys Thomas finished seventh (2:07.90) as China's Zhang Yufei took gold with an Olympic record time of 2:03.86.
USA's Regan Smith took silver (2:05.30) with her teammate Hali Flickinger finishing in bronze position (2:05.65).
In the 200m backstroke semis, Britain’s 2019 World Championship bronze medallist Luke Greenbank won his race ahead of defending champion Ryan Murphy of the USA in a time of 1:54.98. In the other semi, Brodie Paul Williams came last with a time of 1:57.73.
Abbie Wood and Molly Renshaw both progressed to the 200m breaststroke final. Renshaw finished her semi-final in third in a time of 2:22.70 while Wood came fourth (2:22.35).
Duncan Scott is through to the final of the 200m individual medley after winning his semi-final in a time of 1:56.69.
In the 100m freestyle semi-finals, Freya Anderson was knocked out after finishing sixth in her semi-final, but it was good news for Anna Hopkin who finished fourth in the second semi-final in a time of 53.11 seconds.
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