Team GB

Tom Brown
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, BBC Sport

A silver medal in your first individual Olympic final is an impressive feat.

But Matt Richards has high standards.

After winning the world title in this event - the 200m freestyle - only last year, he wanted the Olympic title tonight.

But after qualifying seventh fastest, he was out in lane one. He told me afterwards he will learn from the experience for his remaining events this week.

“That was probably a tactical error on my part last night," he admitted. "I probably could’ve done with being in the middle of the pool and a little bit closer to what was going on.

"But it’s great learning. I’m young. I’m 21 years old. I plan on being in the sport at least another 10 years yet. I’d like to get to five Olympic Games if I’m able to.

"I will learn from that last night. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen again this week or every major meet after this.

"So if that means that tonight I was meant to get the silver rather than the gold because of it. Everything happens for a reason."

It has been a good day for Scottish rowers Sholto Carnegie and Rowan McKellar.

Carnegie, 29, is in Team GB's men's eight and 30-year-old McKellar in the women's equivalent.

Both of their crews came first in their respective heats on Monday morning, securing automatic qualification for the finals later in the week.

They will fancy their chances of contending for a medal if they maintain their early form.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland in Paris

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland's Katie Shanahan marked her Olympic debut by booking her place in Monday evening's 400m individual medley final.

The 20-year-old finished fourth in her heat, with her time of four minutes 40.40 seconds good enough to secure her passage.

There was however disappointment for another Scot, Kathleen Dawson, in the 100m backstroke as she failed to make the semi-finals.

Shanahan said: "I am really excited. I am really happy going into the final and hopefully I can put down my best performance and think if can get a personal best (PB) I would be happy.

"I know the field in there is really strong so I'm just going to see what I can do."

Shanahan was cautious about her chances of getting onto the podium, and is instead focusing on producing her fastest-ever time rather than thinking about a medal.

She added: "Never say never, I think Summer [McIntosh] is definitely going to be winning it, and I think the top two is definitely open for anybody in that field.

"I am not really going in looking for a medal, that is not something I would ever go in saying but if I can get a PB and see how close I can get to being in the medals I will be happy."

Dawson, 26, finished fifth in her heat but her time of one minute 00.69 seconds was not good enough to take her to the semi-finals.

She said: "It is disappointing to have come away with the time I swam - I don't think that was an accurate representation of where I feel I am right now.

"I walked out and I was so happy to be there and I still am happy to have gone out and experienced what just happened because I didn't have a crowd in Tokyo.

"I really enjoyed that it is just a shame to come away with the time that I did."