Scottish titles for Ross Murdoch, Freya Anderson, Tain Bruce and Duncan Scott

Awkwardness, Ross Murdoch reveals, is all fingers and thumbs. To link or not to link, to tilt or remain taut, swimming's version of a statistical experiment designed to gain precious nanoseconds has left the former Commonwealth champion befuddled and bemused in turn during a period of adaption to a tweaked technique.

Freya Murray claimed the 400 and 50 metres freestyle titles at the Scottish Championships. Picture: Neil Hanna for Scottish Swimming

But the growing pains have been worth it, acknowledged the 24-year-old, with the early returns promising after he grabbed a third Scottish record inside two days at the Scottish Short Course Championships in Edinburgh, allowing him to see off old rival Craig Benson in the 100m breaststroke final in a time of 57.29 seconds.

“People have needed patience to put up with me while I’ve been changing my technique,” confirmed Murdoch, who will race the 200m today.

“I’ve been feeling pretty rubbish in the pool. I’ve been trying to be patient and stick to the process and let the results come to me. It’s a tough balance when you’re driving towards an outcome but doing it the right way.”

His University of Stirling team-mate Duncan Scott claimed his fourth and fifth titles of the meeting by winning the 200m butterfly and sharing the spoils in the 4x50m free relay, squeezing an exam into his day’s endeavours in a room adjoining the pool.

There was another Scottish record of 57.15 secs in the 100m butterfly final for University of Edinburgh’s Tain Bruce while former world junior champion Freya Anderson delivered another exhibition of her huge potential by powering to wins in both the 400m and 50m freestyle.