Duncan Scott, Jack McMillan, Matt Richards and James Guy won gold at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore last year, and now the same quartet are set to compete against one another for the individual 200m freestyle Commonwealth title. The Great Britain relay team, made up of an Englishman, a Northern Irishman, a Scotsman and a Welshman, claimed gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2025 Aquatics World Championships in Singapore.
Why is this rivalry so unusual?
This is unusual because England's James Guy, Northern Ireland's Jack McMillan, Scotland's Duncan Scott and Wales' Matt Richards normally race together for Team GB, but at the Commonwealths they are opponents. Their success in Singapore has made the upcoming head-to-head even more notable, as the four swimmers bring the chemistry of relay team-mates into individual competition.
"It's such a unique relationship. We're all competitors for the individual or team-mates for that 4x200m relay," said Richards.
"Then you throw Commonwealths into the mix and it makes it even more dynamic and different.
"There's a lot of trash talk between us leading up to it which is great fun and always a good laugh."
So while the friendly rivals are keeping their sense of humour, the question is which of them will have the last laugh in the pool.
Who else is in the mix for the 200m freestyle title?
Richards has already won three medals at these Games but is still waiting for his first gold. He and McMillan swim in the same heat on Wednesday as Scotsman Evan Jones and Englishman Tom Dean, who were also part of that world champion relay squad.
"We're all good friends and that camaraderie helps us as team-mates, but also as rivals to push each other," said McMillan.
"We play our roles when it comes the the relay but swimming is an individual sport too."
England's Guy said the chance for Team GB colleagues to go head to head "makes the Commonwealth Games a bit more special".
"It's actually really cool because it's very rare we represent our home nations," he added.
"It's really weird being part of different countries when you're together most of the time as Team GB."
Australia have dominated in the pool so far in these Games but Scott, who has already claimed gold in Glasgow, knows all four team-mates have ambitions to top the podium. The rivalry has also been a regular feature at domestic level, with the swimmers facing one another repeatedly at British Championships and season meets.
"We go head to head so much at British Championships year in and year out, in season meets, that it's always good fun racing those boys," Scott said.
"Ultimately we all want to see each other swim well," added Richards.
"We just want to see ourselves swim that tiny bit better."
How do the swimmers balance rivalry and friendship?
They balance both by treating relay races as a shared goal while embracing individual competition when they represent their home nations. The camaraderie, according to the swimmers, helps them perform as team-mates and pushes them harder as rivals.
The quartet's dynamic reflects the broader structure of British swimming, where athletes often compete together under Team GB but switch to home-nation representation at events like the Commonwealth Games. That makes the exchange of banter and the pressure of racing one another particularly meaningful, especially after their world-title success together in Singapore.
Among the four, Richards has already collected three medals at these Games, McMillan and Guy are preparing to race in the same heat, and Scott brings the experience of having already won gold in Glasgow. Together, they are combining familiarity, rivalry and ambition in one of the most distinctive contests of the meet.
Key Facts
- Duncan Scott, Jack McMillan, Matt Richards and James Guy won gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2025 Aquatics World Championships in Singapore.
- The four swimmers will race each other for the individual 200m freestyle Commonwealth title.
- Richards has won three medals at these Games but is still waiting for his first gold.
- McMillan and Richards swim in the same heat on Wednesday with Evan Jones and Tom Dean.
- Australia have dominated in the pool so far in these Games.
