Rio Olympics 2016: Great Britain clinch silver medal in men’s 200m freestyle relay as Michael Phelps and USA claim another gold

JAMES GUY won’t remember it as the race Michael Phelps won his 21st Olympic gold.

The British freestyler will treasure the memory of how he made up for disappointment in the individual 200m by anchoring the team to a silver behind the amazing American in the 4 x 200m relay.

Team GB claimed its second silver medal in a matter of minutes and Guy brought it home.

After a solid leg by Stephen Milne had put the Brits in 5th, teenager Duncan Scott showed the form which had earlier seen him qualify seventh fastest for today’s 100m final.

Scott swam the fastest second leg to bring Britain up to fourth and Dan Wallace touched just in third to send Guy off in pursuit of Phelps and the Japanese team.

With a length to go, Phelps was well clear but Guy hunted down second place and claimed in style the medal which had threatened to elude him.

After such disappointment in London, where British swimmers seriously under-performed in winning just three medals, the sport is now propping up Team GB.

Four of Britain’s six medals so far have come in the pool, and there may well be more to come after Andrew Willis qualified second fastest for the 200m breaststroke final behind Japan’s Ippei Watanabe, who notched an Olympic record in the other semi.

Guy, who was devastated after finishing 4th in his main event, the 200m individual freestyle, said: "For me the first couple of days weren't great.

"I was racing for my country, trying to make the country proud back at home.

"Four years ago if someone had said to me I was going to get a silver medal, a fourth and a sixth, I would have taken it.
"We knew the Americans would be in front when I went in the pool.