Tom Dean’s ‘perfect preparation’ for World Championships as he seals double gold

Tom Dean claimed two gold medals during the final leg of the Mare Nostrum Series and said the event had been the ‘perfect preparation’ for the World Championships.

The National Centre Bath swimmer triumphed in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley and the 200m Freestyle to cap a successful competition for him.

He beat his British team-mate Duncan Scott by 0.48 seconds to take the medley gold in a time of 1:59.35.

And Dean was 0.30 seconds clear of silver medallist Alexander Krasnykh after touching home in 1:47.30 in the 200m Freestyle. 

Scott claimed the bronze in a time of 1:47.62.

Dean said: “I’m very happy with my swims over the Mare Nostrum Series. 

“I did 17 races in total and I was lucky enough to come away with a few medals and few good times. I also had a few not so good swims, but from that I was able to learn from the mistakes and know what I needed to change going into the next races.

“It’s been perfect preparation for the World Championships in five weeks’ time. It was a tough eight days with a lot of racing but I was able to learn a lot and step up my performances one after the next.”

British swimmers won a total of seven gold medals during the two-day competition in Barcelona.

Adam Peaty claimed his fourth success of the event as he topped the podium in the Men’s 50m and 100m Breaststroke races.

He set a championship record time of 26.55 in the 50m event to win by 0.47 seconds.

And Peaty then broke the Mare Nostrum record in the 100m race as he clocked 58.15 to beat compatriot James Wilby (59.42) by 1.27 seconds.

58.1 tonight in Barcelona, a strong prep into @Gwangju2019_ World Championships! 🙌🏼🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/01tfxo7ybH

— Adam Peaty MBE (@adam_peaty) June 15, 2019

Wilby also added a silver medal to Britain’s tally in the Men’s 200m Freestyle.

Ben Proud also set a championship record with victory in the Men’s 50m Freestyle in 21.58, while Anna Hopkin came out on top in a thrilling Women’s 100m Freestyle.

She was just outside her personal best as she clocked 54.20 to win by 0.08 seconds from Canada’s Kayla Noelle Sanchez.

Georgia Davies won Britain’s other gold in the Women’s 50m Backstroke, touching home in 28.06.

Daniel Jervis showed he will be a contender in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, as he climbed from fifth with 100m to go to take second spot in 15:04.06.

Alys Thomas also claimed a silver medal in the Women’s 200m Butterfly after finishing in 2:09.14.

Holly Hibbott bagged a Barcelona bronze in a close Women’s 400m Freestyle race.

Only 0.07 seconds separated the top three, with Hibbott recording a time of 4:08.93 as she finished behind Japan’s Miyu Namba (4:08.86) and Argentina’s Delfina Pignatiello (4:08.88).

Luke Greenbank and Molly Renshaw also won bronze medals for Great Britain.

Greenbank was third in the Men’s 200m Backstroke in 1:59.63, while Renshaw’s time of 2:25.98 sealed bronze in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke.

The British team now return to training ahead of the World Championships next month.