2018 SCOTTISH SHORT COURSE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, December 7th – Sunday, December 9th
- Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh
- SCM
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It was a historic day at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, as Jack Thorpe, Duncan Scott and more rewrote the Scottish National Record books.
The action kicked off in the morning heats, where Thorpe threw down a new national standard in the men’s 50m free, lowering his own previous NR of 21.82 down to 21.55.
Although he wasn’t able to beat that effort, Thorpe roared to the wall during tonight’s final with a mark of 21.63 to take the title ahead of two Stirling athletes in Scott McLay (21.64) and the aforementioned Scott (21.72).
As for his performance, Thorpe stated post-race, “This morning’s heat was a real target, I just wanted to get the job done. Tonight was about the racing. Yes, I got the job done, but only just; it was very close but we got there in the end.”
Scott had his moment, however, as the most decorated Scottish athlete at a Commonwealth Games blasted a new National Record in the 100m IM. Scott roared to the wall in 53.21, sinking the previous NR time of 53.40 set by Mark Szaranek at the 2016 FINA Short Course World Championships.
The University of Stirling Olympian’s time tonight now situates him just inside the top 25 performers in the world this season.
2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Ross Murdoch was also in the pool today, cranking out a National Record in the 50m breast this morning to take the top seed. Murdoch dipped even lower tonight, producing a gold medal-garnering time of 26.34, placing him among the world’s top 15 performances this season.
“I’m really happy with that. The last couple of weeks I’ve not felt too great in the water to be honest, so I’m pleased. We’ve been doing a lot of technical work this first phase of the season and I seem to be reaping some of those rewards,” Murdoch said after his newly-minted record.
On the women’s side, 17-year-old Keanna MacInnes got the job done in the 200m fly, lowering her own Scottish National Record en route to the top of the podium. 2:07.90 is what MacInnes produced at this same meet last year for the record in 2017, but the University of Stirling athlete fired off a mark of 2:07.21 tonight for gold.
MacInnes also now cracks into the world rankings, with her 2:07.21 time tonight positioned as 17th in the world.
All quotes courtesy of Scottish Swimming.
Interesting night;
Ross Murdoch much speedier than he has looked in the past. Either in brilliant shape or his attention is drawing away from the 200. Great swim either way.
Katie Shanahan looks a bright prospect – Big Scottish junior record in the 200IM aged just 14. Jakob Goodman with some big scalps in the 400fr and went 5th on the English age group all time list. Freya Anderson went top 10 all time 200IM age group lists with a 2.11 and backed it up with a 52.9 100fr a little bit later in the session, with her usual splitting (25.9/26.9).
Stirling University owned it but no real surprise there.
Murdoch was excellent- Scott hard to gauge but given injury not surprising- Shanahan hopefully the heir to Miley’s thrown?
Relays exciting with a big National Record from the boys from Stirling.
Shanahan really excites me. Don’t want to say things and put pressure on but the last two I had this impression from at her age were Anderson & SMOC, and I waxed lyrical a bit too much about them so I’ll hold off on Shanahan. Sky’s the limit if she keeps her head in the sport though.