Ross Murdoch beats favourite Michael Jamieson to gold for Scotland

Ross Murdoch beats favourite Michael Jamieson to gold for Scotland

Ross Murdoch, right, and Michael Jamieson show off their medals after a one-two finish for Scotland. 

It had been billed as Thunder Thursday but the clapping was difficult to stomach for Michael Jamieson. It was a night in the pool that Scotland will savour as golds for Ross Murdoch and Hannah Miley elevated the Commonwealth Games hosts to third in the medal table after one day in Glasgow. For Jamieson, though, there was only bitter disappointment.

Murdoch had obviously not read the script. His was a staggering victory that nobody had expected, against the poster boy of these Games who won Olympic silver in the 200m breaststroke two years ago. Jamieson was expected to raise the roof at Tollcross on a crucial evening for Scotland but although the roof was certainly raised, it was his compatriot, not him, standing tallest on the podium.

Murdoch smashed his personal best and clocked a Commonwealth record of 2.07:30. Jamieson appeared crestfallen as he received his silver, even if he had congratulated Murdoch in the aftermath of defeat when his young rival simply gazed in disbelief at the big screen

“I’m obviously gutted,” said Jamieson, who could not muster the energy to claw Murdoch back in the final 50m, finishing in 2.08:40, ahead of England’s Andrew Willis. “I didn’t prepare for second place, I came to win. I’ve had unbelievable support in the last couple of years since London‚ but Ross deserved to win tonight.

“I was probably swimming with too much emotion, probably getting too uptight in the last couple of days, forgetting that it’s just another race. It was the biggest race of my life but I think if I was going to swim well tonight I had to get over that and stay as relaxed as possible. It’s not about me tonight, it’s about Ross. He was far and away the best swimmer in the pool tonight.”

Murdoch’s time was sixth-tenths of a second outside the world record and the tears flowed as Flower of Scotland played out inside the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, which produced a noise that belied its 5,000 capacity. Tears of joy had also flooded from Miley’s eyes earlier in the evening and Murdoch was still coming to terms with his win long after the event.

“There is no way that just happened,” he said. “In the last 100m the sound was just amazing and it drove me on. I felt really good this morning in the heats but I didn’t believe that I could do that. It is my grandad’s 70th birthday so that is for him.

“I didn’t think that would become a reality. I can’t really explain how it feels, it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. That was the best thing that ever happened to me and it meant the world.

“It’s hard when you come up against someone as prestigious as him [Jamieson]. To stand up against the more experienced man was nerve-racking but it was all about holding my own.”

It was a fitting denouement to a remarkable evening of swimming, coming soon after Miley’s captivating performance. The 24-year-old from Inverurie was pushed to the end by her English opponent Aimee Willmott in the 400m individual medley but clawed her way in front with 50m remaining and held on.

She easily beat her Commonwealth record set earlier in the day in the heats, but it was a hugely dramatic race that had appeared to be slipping just out of Miley’s grasp. Willmott was ahead after 200m and the Australian Keryn McMaster was pushing with the Scot to rein her in. McMaster, though, fell away and Miley found a last surge of energy down the final stretch to secure the win by more than one second.

For an initial moment she did not realise what had occurred but, once the result appeared on the big screen, an outpouring of emotion followed. Miley looked upwards in joy and disbelief, while the volume inside the arena increased.

It was all too much for Miley’s father and coach, Patrick, who was reduced to tears. There were more to follow during the medal presentation, as the anthem proved the catalyst for Miley’s waterworks.

“Oh my God, that was just incredible,” said Miley. “I literally couldn’t feel my legs for the last 50, so when I touched the wall I was hoping and praying that I could go fast. I’m absolutely knackered.”