Swimming: It’s joy of six for Miley at Commie Pool

By ELSPETH BURNSIDE
Published on 02/07/2012 12:00

Hannah MILEY completed her competition countdown to this month’s Olympics in London by collecting a massive haul of six gold and one silver medal at the Scottish Gas National Open Championships at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh.

For others such as Warrender’s Craig McNally, it was a time to shrug off Olympic disappointment and look to the future. After a silver in the 100m and 200m backstroke, McNally celebrated on the final day with a victory in the 50m event in 26.55.

The 19-year-old made the time for London 2012 in the 200m backstroke at last month’s final trials but failed to clinch one of the two places by just 0.1 seconds to Wales’ Marco Loughran.

“Initially, I was really gutted,” he admitted. “But now that I’ve had time to think about it and I’m looking to the future. My time at the trails was a massive PB and I know I have progressed so much over the past year. Now I’m looking forward to the next Olympics in Brazil in four years’ time – and there is also the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.”

Craig Benson, the 17-year-old who will be swimming in the 100m breaststroke at the Olympics, made a surprise last-day appearance for Warrender 4x100m medley relay team. The quartet completed by McNally, Smith and Jordan Dunn cruised to gold in 3:48.55.

For Miley, it is all about the 400m individual medley at the Olympics in London three weeks on Saturday. The Commonwealth Games and European Champion completed her trophy haul on the final day with a victory in the 200m breaststroke in 2:34.87. Edinburgh University’s Corrie Scott was second in 2:31.29. The Inverurie 22-year-old just lost out to Stirling’s Lucy Ellis in the 100m freestyle – but was still delighted with a PB of 56.94. Warrender’s Lewis Smith won the 400m individual medley in 4:20.02 – he had already won the 400m freestyle on Friday.

Kathyrn Johnstone (Edinburgh University) set a Scottish record in the 50m breaststroke, her time of 31.48 bettering the 31.69 she set at the ASA National Championships in Sheffield just ten days earlier.