Swimming: Michael Jamieson downbeat despite qualifying for Olympics

A relieved Michael Jamieson finished second in the 200 metres breaststroke at last night’s British Gas British Championship at the London Aquatics Centre and became the fourth Scot to qualify for an individual event at this year’s Olympics.

The 23-year-old finished runner-up to his Bath training mate, Andrew Willis, posting the third fastest time in the world this year and a personal best 2:09.84. Willis’s 2:09.33 was an English record.

But Edinburgh’s Kris Gilchrist, the 2008 Olympian and British record holder, missed out on his dream of a second Games back at this venue in just under five months’ time. Another member of the Bath training centre, the 28-year-old was third in 2:11.73.

Jamieson, fifth at last year’s World Championship in Shanghai, was strangely downbeat after putting his name alongside Hannah Miley, Robbie Renwick and Craig Benson as Scottish individual qualifiers.

“I’ve had a bit of a nightmare of a week and I’m just so relieved to have made the team,” said the Glasgow-born swimmer, who had lost out to teenager Benson in the 100m breaststroke qualifying on Sunday. “Nothing has gone according to plan. I wanted to qualify for both the 100m and 200m. Tonight, I had absolutely nothing left at the end.

“I don’t know if it was fear of failure or what it was, but I’ve felt out of sorts all week. Now I’m going to have a break and get ready for London.”

In the 100m freestyle final, Renwick, the 200m and 400m champion, had to settle for fifth in 49.62. Simon Burnett won in 49.33.