Swim hero Murdoch was close to quitting – but reveals going back to roots has him in medal shape
He lost his inner Scot. The gallus bam that resides deep inside. The ‘come ahead’ flick of the wrists, the ultimate invitation.
Now Ross Murdoch has rediscovered himself at the perfect time.
The 24- year- old who set the Glasgow Games alight with a glorious day- one gold four years ago is back in business Down Under because he has gone back to his roots.
Roots he left behind in a quest for another level at the Rio Olympics which cost him his identity and almost his entire swimming career. But as he goes for a repeat of his Commonwealth 200m breaststroke triumph here on Thursday, Murdoch revealed he has ditched the cold and clinical professional he thought he needed to be in favour of the guy he has always been.
He said: “I’m going to stand up on the block, regardless of what block that is, whether it’s in a heat or a final, and I’m going to look left and right and give it… ‘Mon Then!’
“I’m Scottish. That’s what I’ve done in every race since I was eight years old, bar a few – and I so regret those.
“All I was thinking about for a while was the time, the result, the time, the result.
“Not ‘How are you putting this race together?’, ‘How does this bit feel?, ‘ What did you do wrong in your heat that you can rectify for the final?’
“There was none of that. It was just about hit the time, hit the time, hit the time.
“And I hated it. That was such a rough period. I did that for a full year and it didn’t pay off.
“It made me almost quit so I won’t be doing that again.
“This time I know exactly what I’ll be doing because it’s exactly how I feel – and its not often we get the chance to actually swim for Scotland so it’s important to make the most of that as well.”
Murdoch is determined to put himself on the top step of the podium the way he did in such stunning fashion four years ago, the ‘Did I really just do that?’ face after beating hot favourite Michael Jamieson one of the enduring images of an amazing Games.
But the University of Stirling star doesn’t believe he’s there to defend a title – he’s there to attack the next one.
He said: “It’s as if you’ve something to lose when you talk about defending a title. Glasgow happened but it’s history and no one can take it away from me.
“I’ve nothing to lose in this race. It’s not like boxing, you can’t get the belt taken off you in swimming.
“I ’ m a dif ferent person to four years ago as well. Probably because of the amount of growing up I’ve had to do.
“Back then you don’t really care about much else. You don’t have any other responsibilities. Not that I have many now!
“I’ve matured and I understand other people a little bit better than I used to. I maybe didn’t give credit to other people or empathise with other people as much as I do now.
“I’m just going in to enjoy it. That’s been my big focus since Rio. I’m doing it because I love racing.”
That love dissipated in the aftermath of Rio, disappointment of not even making the cut for his favoured 200m compounded by his failure to reach the 100m final, just three months after a fourmedal haul at the Europeans.
The swimmer that emerged from the painful healing process that followed was far more circumspect and robust.
Murdoch said: “I try not to put pressure on myself – there’s enough of that from within me just trying to swim my best as it is without thinking about anything else.
“The result will be what it is. I know I’ve worked hard.
“I constructed a performance last summer I was happy with and going into this year, I’ve done a lot of work on my physiology, my diet, my psychology. So whatever comes up on the board, I’ll deserve what I get.”
He’s a rea l i s t though. While his name will be right among the favourites for the 200m, he’s under no illusion where he stands in the shorter distance that has seen Englishman Adam Peaty clean up.
Murdoch said: “His name’s on the entry list but I’m not sure if he’ll swim the 200. “He swam it four years ago and came fourth and since then he has done a 2:08.3, which would definitely push for gold.
“The 100 breaststroke though, it’s a fight for silver.
“I can go well in that event, I’m more confident in it at the moment, but I don’t think I can go 57 – if he goes anywhere near that he has the win. He’s a second and a half faster than anyone has ever been.
“You have to be real when it comes to that, those are some cold hard facts!”