Olympic champion Tom Dean says he has “an opportunity to make history” by becoming the first man to retain the 200m freestyle title in Paris in 2024.
The 21-year-old joined an illustrious list of champions, including American Michael Phelps, when he won the event at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games.
Dean claimed gold ahead of Duncan Scott in a stunning one-two for Team GB.
He was also part of the team that won the 4x200m freestyle gold along with Scott, James Guy and Matthew Richards.
No man has ever won the 200m freestyle gold medal more than once, but Dean already has his eye on success in Paris.
“You’ve people like [Ian] Thorpe, [Michael] Phelps – these are names that stand out head and shoulders above everyone else in swimming,” Dean said, after being named in England’s swimming team for the this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“I have got an opportunity to make history and put my stamp on my career by retaining the title.”
Dean feels he benefitted from the extra year of training allowed by the delay to Tokyo 2020, due to the Covid pandemic, and is looking forward to defending his crown at the end of the shorter three-year cycle in 2024.
“It almost allows me to condense all these back-to-back competitions and try to retain my titles,” he said.
Dean, who joins three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty in England’s team for the Birmingham Games, is looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd after restrictions in Tokyo meant no supporters were allowed into the venues.
“I remember standing on the podium [to receive my medals], my family and friends weren’t there,” he said.
“So it will be great to get back to having them there in a full crowd, in England.
“I want to get out there and race against all the Commonwealth countries and with the crowd there I think it will give the athletes a huge boost.”
