Golden guys and girls:

One hundredth of a second denies 24-year-old Scot

James Guy, Adam Peaty, Freya Anderson and Georgia Davies celebrate after winning gold in the mixed 4x100 relay in the European Championships at Tollcross, Glasgow, yesterday.

Fourth is often described as the worst place to finish in sport and Ross Murdoch admits he was in a world of pain last night after missing out on a European Swimming Championships medal by just 0.01s.

Roared on by a thunderous crowd in Glasgow, the 24-year-old narrowly missed out on the medal in the men’s 200m breaststroke, finishing one hundredth of a second off Italy’s Luca Pizzini

It is a far cry from four years ago when the Balloch swimmer powered to Commonwealth Games gold at Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

And Murdoch admits he will get back to the drawing board, re-evaluate and go again next season.

“I am very disappointed with that to be honest with you,” he said.

“I learned a lot from this meet but I expected better from myself.

“I did not know if I could win it or not but I felt I was better than the time out there. It beats me.

“I need to go back and have a look at the race and then hopefully learn something about it.

“Then I can move it on for next year. It is tough to know where you are there, in freestyle you can do that but in breaststroke if you have a look then you are off the pace already.

“I turned and tried to chase as best I could but it was no avail.”

Elsewhere, 100m freestyle silver medallist Duncan Scott sneaked into the 200m freestyle final last night, taking the eighth, and final, spot.

The 21-year-old former Strathallan School student is chasing his third medal of the championships but knows he has his work cut out from the outside lanes.

“I did not try and do that, it was not the plan,” he said.

“It will be really tough tomorrow night, I will probably have to swim my own race out there.

“It is not ideal but at least I am through. I am in an outside lane but you have a chance I guess.”

Scott will go in tonight’s continental showpiece and will be joined by fellow Brit James Guy in the final after the Brit qualified in the 1:46.44.

Guy goes into the final fresh off the back of a second gold medal at Tollcross Swimming Leisure Centre last night.

The 22-year-old was part of the 4x100 mixed medley relay that stormed to the top of the podium.

Pictures: PA. Duncan Scott in action in his 200m freestyle heat.

Ross Murdoch missed out on bronze by 0.01 of a second.