Duncan Scott is set for a familiar challenge at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but not in both of the individual medley events he contested in 2022. Released entries today show the Scotland swimmer will chase a repeat title in the 200 IM while not defending his 400 IM bronze.
The move keeps Scott in the event where he was already the class of the field in 2022, when he won gold in 1:56.88. It also gives the home crowd in Glasgow a clear focal point: one of Scotland’s most decorated swimmers trying to repeat on home soil.
The 200 IM remains Scott’s strongest lane
Scott’s recent form suggests he will arrive with real momentum. He posted a 1:55.51 season-best last year, then won the 200 IM at April’s Aquatics GB Championships in 1:56.08. Those times would make him the swimmer to beat again in Glasgow, especially with the event set to feature several familiar names.
The 2026 entries appear to include the full 2022 200 IM and 400 IM podium, with one exception: Scott is entered in the 200 IM, but not the 400 IM. That means Lewis Clareburt is back in the mix after winning the 400 IM in 4:08.70 and placing third in the 200 IM in 2022, while Tom Dean and Brendon Smith are also part of the wider field.
What the entries tell us
Matthew Dunn is the only swimmer in the Commonwealth Games record books to have won the 200 IM twice, taking the title in 1994 and again in 1998. Scott is now trying to join that kind of company, with the advantage of being the defending champion and the home swimmer in Glasgow.
His decision not to defend the 400 IM bronze is notable, but it also makes the focus clearer. Scott is backing the event where he has the strongest recent results and the clearest path to another Commonwealth Games gold. With the entries now released, the storyline is straightforward: Scott will try to keep the 200 IM crown in Scotland.
