An Appreciation of the Resilience and Longevity of British Stalwart and Relay Stud James Man
A Timeline and Appreciation of James Man’s Consistency
James Man, now 29, has been a participant on the worldwide stage for the higher a part of the final decade. The three-time British Olympian broke out in 2015 with three World Championships medals, together with a world title within the 200-meter freestyle. His victory in what would develop into his signature occasion was a major one, because it dethroned Solar Yang, a person who on the time appeared untouchable. Man’s 1:45.14 profitable time would stand as his private finest for almost a decade, and the Brit would additionally win silver within the 400 freestyle, earlier than anchoring Nice Britain to gold within the 800 freestyle relay. His 1:44.74 cut up on the relay was the quickest of the sphere.
2016 Rio Olympics
In Rio, after sneaking into the 200 freestyle ultimate because the eighth seed, Man completed fourth, simply two tenths out of bronze. Mixed with a 14th-place end within the 100 butterfly and sixth-place effort within the 400 free, Man clearly packaged a robust particular person meet. The place the Bathtub swimmer shined, nonetheless, was on relays.
Man’s 1:44.85 anchor cut up on the 800 free relay moved Nice Britain from third into silver medal place and a brand new nationwide document. His 51.35 100 butterfly cut up on the 400 medley relay helped earn Staff GB their second relay medal of the meet. This haul represented an enormous enchancment over the London Olympics, which noticed Nice Britain fail to medal throughout all relays.
2017 World Championships
2017 was a 12 months of ups and downs for the reigning 200 freestyle world champion. After coming into the Worlds ultimate in Budapest because the second seed, Man missed out on a medal by simply over a tenth. China’s Solar Yang ran away with the win in a 1:44.39, just below a second forward of the fifth-place Man.
Photograph Courtesy: SIPA USA
Whereas the Brit did not medal in his signature even, he excelled within the 100 butterfly, tying for third with Singapore’s Joseph Education, the 2016 Olympic champion. Nice Britain additionally backed up its Olympic silver within the 800 freestyle relay with a world title. This time, Man anchored the crew with an otherworldly cut up of 1:43.80, one of many quickest in historical past.
As soon as once more proving his relay consistency, Man threw down a 50.80 fly cut up on the 400 medley relay, an enchancment of greater than a second from a 12 months prior in Rio.
2018 Commonwealth & European Championships
Man continued his stellar profession in 2018. His relay performances continued to be the spotlight of his time on the Nationwide Staff, as he helped Staff GB to a few relay golds at European Championships. His efforts additionally helped deliver the crew to a few silvers on the Commonwealth Video games. Almost anytime Man was part of a relay, he could possibly be counted on for an important cut up.
Individually, his versatility continued to be a invaluable asset to his medal haul. At Euros, Man swam to bronze within the 100 butterfly, and completed fourth within the 200 freestyle. The Gold Coast Commonwealth Video games noticed him declare silver within the 100 butterfly and bronze within the 400 freestyle. His 400 freestyle medal was his first within the occasion in three years.
2019 World Championships
It turned all of the extra evident in Gwangju that Man was a stalwart relay performer. Individually, he missed the ultimate of the 200 freestyle and completed seventh within the 100 butterfly. Staff GB additionally completed fifth in its signature 800 freestyle relay, a uncommon miss.
Man’s lone gold of the meet got here on the ultimate day, within the 400 medley relay, the place Man put up one other strong cut up on the fly leg of fifty.81. His teammate Duncan Scott surprised the sphere with a 46.14 freestyle leg, on the time the second-fastest cut up in historical past.
Tokyo Olympics
In a surprising transfer, Man withdrew from the 100 butterfly on the fifth evening of Olympic competitors in Tokyo. Actually anticipated to be an element, Man targeted his consideration on his relay duties. Beneath are Man’s relay splits from all eight nights of Olympic competitors, with finals splits in daring.
800 Freestyle Relay (Gold)
1:44.66 going second, quickest cut up of the sphere
1:44.40 going second, second quickest behind solely his teammate Duncan Scott
400 Blended Medley Relay (Gold, swimming butterfly)
50.58, quickest male cut up
50.00, quickest male cut up
400 Males’s Medley Relay (Silver, swimming butterfly)
50.77, quickest cut up of the sphere
50.27, second quickest behind solely Caeleb Dressel
When the mud settled, Man yielded a shot at a person medal to deliver house three relay medals and two golds for Nice Britain. Swimming six instances, he by no means faltered and proved to be the relay hero Nice Britain wanted.
Add in six medals from the European Championships the identical 12 months, and Man merely enhanced his resume. The shortened three 12 months run to the Paris Olympics noticed Man decide up extra relay medals, together with a 2023 World Championships gold with the identical Tokyo squad within the 800 freestyle relay.
Paris Olympics
On the 2023 Brief Course Euros in Otopeni, Man gained silver within the 200 freestyle. An indication of issues to come back, this effort represented his first particular person 200 freestyle medal in seven years.
Tom Dean, Matthew Richards, James Man and Duncan Scott of Nice Britain have a good time after profitable the gold medal within the swimming 4x200m Freestyle Males Remaining in the course of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games at La Protection Enviornment in Paris (France), July 30, 2024.
Within the months main as much as the Paris Olympics, Man was firing on all cylinders. On the British Olympic Trials, he locked up his spot on a 3rd Olympic crew, ending fourth within the 200 freestyle ultimate. His 1:45.28 confirmed he was experiencing a profession resurgence, because it was his quickest swim since 2017.
Individually in Paris, Man completed twenty third within the 100 butterfly, over a half second out of semifinals. However all the pieces got here collectively within the prelims of the 800 freestyle relay. Man swam leadoff, and slammed a 1:45.04 marker. For the primary time in 9 years, he unlocked a brand new private finest in his signature occasion. His finals leadoff of 1:45.09, which helped Nice Britain to a repeat title, is his second quickest swim ever.
Man’s performances enhanced a implausible story for the British males. The 4 males that swam to gold in Paris had been the identical 4 who earned gold three years prior in Tokyo.
Now 29, a decade older than his 2015 world title, Man is trying ahead to the 2028 Olympics, looking for a fourth Olympic Staff. In Man, his teammates and his nation have discovered a frontrunner, and a beacon of consistency.
