HE'S done it again. They've done it again.
James Guy has done Warrington proud by winning a thrilling gold medal with the British 4x200m freestyle relay team in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The former Cardinal Newman High School student, along with Tom Dean, Matt Richards and Duncan Scott, successfully defended the title they won at the Tokyo 2020 Covid-delayed Games three years ago.
They were firm favourites to do so and lived up to the billing in the French capital, winning the first gold for Britain's men in the Paris 2024 pool.
The awesome foursome came home in style in the Paris La Defense Arena, winning in 6mins 59.43secs ahead of USA (7mins 00.78secs) and Australia (7mins 01.98secs).
Guy attacked the first leg, handing over with a narrow lead to Dean who held on to a similar advantage for Richards to tackle the third leg. A half body-length lead was in place when Scott took over the reins and he flew to the winning touch.
A good start is crucial and in his leg Guy kept at bay the American swimmer who won bronze in the individual 200m freestyle event.
That laid the perfect platform for Team GB to conquer the world for the second Games in a row.
Dean and 28-year-old Guy, a former winner of the Warrington Junior Sports Personality Award, helped the defending champions qualify for Tuesday night’s final earlier in the day.
While Richards and Scott were absent in the morning’s heats after their exertions in the individual event the night before, Dean, one-time Stockton Heath resident Guy, Jack McMillan and Kieran Bird negotiated safe passage to the showpiece medal decider.
Guy got their noses in front and Olympic debutants McMillan and Bird kept them ahead before Dean anchored them home in 7mins 5.11secs – going through as the quickest qualifiers.
The United States won the other heat but finished 0.46secs adrift of the Brits, with the French, roared on by their home support, qualifying in third.
Guy still has the men's 100m butterfly and the defence of the mixed 4x100m medley relay to come over the next few days.
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