RISING star Ross Murdoch confirmed his burgeoning talent when he beat Olympian Craig Benson in the 100m breastroke in the Scottish Gas National Age Group Championships at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh yesterday.
In one of the championships' most fiercely contested battles, the West Dunbartonshire competitor swam a PB to finish in 1:00.97 in the boys' 18 and over race ahead of Benson (Warrender) in 1:01.54.
The 19-year-old had pushed Benson all the way in the 200m breaststroke final on Wednesday, but had had to settle for silver.
Murdoch, who trains under Rob Greenwood at the University of Stirling, said: "I'm really happy. I went faster than last week in Eindhoven, and did a PB."
He will now aim to qualify for this summer's World Swimming Championships in Barcelona. "The dream move to Stirling last September was to make the world championships and everything is starting to piece together," Murdoch added. "I'm so glad I could do that mid-season. It gives me a lot of confidence going into the trials in June."
Murdoch showed his potential last year when he went to the Olympic trials seeded 52nd in the 200m breaststroke and made the final. In the 2012 European Junior Championships he took silver in the 200m and 50m breaststroke.
He said: "Racing against Craig, with us being the same age, and seeing him make the Olympics last year, does make me aspire to achieve my own goals."
Reigning European 400m individual medley champion Hannah Miley (Garioch) took double gold, triumphant in the girls' 17 and over 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke by finishing in 2:00.93 and 1:03.65 respectively.
She said: "I was a little disappointed with the 200m freestyle. The 100m backstroke was a lot better, it's getting down to where I used to be but could still be a lot quicker. I'm now going into a period where it's all about the training, so it gives my dad and I some pointers on what to work on for the next few weeks leading into my next competition. It's good to come to these meets to take advantage of long-course racing and a bit of training."
Double Commonwealth gold medallist Caitlin McClatchey (University of Edinburgh), returning from a recent bout of illness, made the decision to curtail her planned race programme and pull out of the final despite, finishing ahead of Miley in their qualifying heat yesterday morning.
Also absent was two-time world open water champion Keri-anne Payne (Warrender), who withdrew from the 200m freestyle for unspecified reasons. She had finished third in the heats.
But Payne will leave this weekend having amassed a haul of medal bling that would put Mr T to shame, with golds in the 400m IM, 400m and 800m freestyle, and silver in the 200m IM.
Cameron Brodie (Kelly College) claimed victory in the boys' 18 and over 200m butterfly, while Stephen Milne (Perth City) took gold in the boys' 18 and over 800m freestyle.
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