Scott McLay makes history as he smashes 15-year-old record

A tad peeved at missing out on an opportunity to race in last August's European Championships in Glasgow, Scott McLay has converted his ire into ignition fuel. No longer a child prodigy, the 19-year-old is maturing into a swimmer of immense promise, and in the concluding session of the Scottish short-course championships in Edinburgh, he wiped a Scottish record from the books which had stood for 15 years.

Duncan Scott won the 200m freestyle by a margin of almost two seconds. Picture: Neil Hanna.

Victor in the 50 metres butterfly in 23.46 seconds, he bested Todd Cooper’s mark in holding off fellow teen tyro Jacob Peters in a duel which might become a familiar sight in the seasons ahead. These are promising signs, acknowledged the University of Stirling prospect, who retains the self-belief that he can make the British squad for next July’s world championships in South Korea before kicking hard towards Tokyo 2020.

“It’s nice to make a little history,” said McLay, pictured. “I didn’t hold back. I knew it would be tight with Jacob but I thought I’d go in and see what I could do but I was quite surprised when I popped my head up and saw the time.

“Fly is pretty new to me. I only really started it last season so I’m still working on the technical parts. But I’d like to make sure I keep working on that and freestyle.”

His trajectory is inevitably compared to that of his training partner Duncan Scott. Already contemporaries, the coming man can learn much from the proven performer. Foremost a relentless drive for self-improvement with the double Olympic silver medallist denying himself undue satisfaction despite adding to a generous haul of titles in last night’s 200m freestyle final in which he ended almost two seconds clear of Craig McLean.

“It wasn’t effortless,” Scott confirmed. “My rate dropped a bit which was disappointing. But I know where I’m at now, where my skillset is, going into the long course. I feel I’m a bit further behind than some guys, in my dive and my turns. I can look at that. But generally, there’s things I can look at which is good and I can carry that into next season.”

Former world junior champion Freya Anderson elevated her tally of triumphs with a majestic rally to edge out Lucy Hope in the 200m freestyle final but the 17-year-old was upset by the University of Edinburgh’s Tain Bruce in the 50m butterfly.

“It was really nice to have a go at racing Freya,” the Scot conceded. “She’s a really great winner. The 50 metres is more of a fun event for me so it was good to get in and have a good race.”

Cassie Wild won the 100m backstroke in 58.72 secs while Ross Murdoch earned a hat-trick of breaststroke titles, this time over 200 metres, once more vanquishing Craig Benson into second place.

Elsewhere, Stephen Clegg lowered his own S12 backstroke world record to 25.30 secs while fellow Paralympian Scott Quinn slashed a second off his own SB14 200m breaststroke mark with a time of 2:19.66.