Hope and Brown the stars as Scottish records tumble

SWIMMING: Lucy Hope (Jedburgh Grammar) and Ryan Brown (Kelso High School) stood out with record-breaking doubles at Brodies Scottish Schools’ Swimming Championships at Dollan Aquatics Centre in East Kilbride.

In the 15-16 section, Hope won both the 100m (1:05.25) and 200m (2:18.57) backstroke, while Brown was in a class of his own in taking the 13-14 200m individual medley (2:19.28) and the 200m butterfly (2:14.80).

Not surprisingly, the two Borders youngsters were awarded the trophies for the best performances in their respective categories.

Despite having to switch from Tollcross – the larger Glasgow pool is undergoing refurbishment for the 2014 Commonwealth Games – the successful championships produced nine records.

In the Open 400m freestyle, Perth Academy’s Stephen Milne clocked 4:02.78, almost six seconds inside the old mark set three years ago by Craig Hamilton. Jordan Hughes (Ardrossan Academy) in the 15-16 100m freestyle (54.19), Anna Fleming (High School of Glasgow) in the 12 and under 50m butterfly (31.78) plus 17-19 year-olds Ross Murdoch (Clydebank College) and James Yule (Robert Gordon’s College) completed the record-breaking list.

Murdoch clocked 1:04.34 in the 100m breaststroke and Yule set his time of 2:23.79 in the same event over 200m.

Yule beat the 2:24.58 set last year by Craig Benson – the James Young High School pupil who swam for GB at last month’s European Short-Course Championships and now has an eye on the London Olympics.

The relays were missing from the programme, but, Brodies Team Championships will take place at the newly-refurbished Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh on 13 June.