A bittersweet silver lining for Renwick
Mixed feelings for Scot who was a bystander at his own medal party
IMAGINE you have trained for more than half your life for that one shining moment, that step on to the podium, that Olympic medal dangled around your neck. For the awesome British foursome who collected swimming silver in the final of the 4x200 freestyle last week, illuminated by the limelight surrounding Michael P helps and some of America’ s real life Walter Mitty’s on the adjacent step, this was lustre beyond compare. But for the UK’s forgotten medallist of these success-laden Games, he was a bystander at his own party, uninvited and left outside.
Robbie Renwick swam in the semis in an all-Scottish line-up that comprised Duncan Scott, Dan Wallace and Stephen Milne, but he was replaced by James Guy for the final. This meant the 28-yearold received the greatest prize he will ever know inside a tent within the Athletes Village, with the most minimal of fanfare.
“We had a wrap-up team meeting the morning after the last finals session. It was just a ‘congratulations, you did a nice job.’ Chris Spice [British Swimming’s performance director] presented me with the medal. It was nice. Obviously it wasn’t the way I would ideally have liked to receive it, but that happens sometimes in sport.”
His eyes hidden behind sunglasses, it is hard to get a peek into Renwick’s soul. But this has clearly been a sensory explosion oscillating between bitter and sweet and every emotion in between. Missing out on a final that he had devoted everything for the past 18 months to reach was tough. Watching on may have been harder still.
“It was so nerve-wracking,” he said. “It was kind of a blur. I was watching, knowing exactly how everyone is going to race. When Jimmy got in, I knew we were going to get a medal. It was brilliant in the last 25m. To get the silver medal was fantastic.
“I was so chuffed for the boys because I went through that last year at the world championships – seeing how happy they were, I knew exactly what they were going through. It was just awesome.”
Third time around, at least he will fly home from here tomorrow with a treasured souvenir. In Beijing and in London, he reached finals but left empty-handed. But, the Aberdonian says, each of his three Games has been unique.
“Beijing I think will always be the most treasured one because it was my first. I was just a 19-yearold lad, loving it and embracing it. London was incredibly special – a home Olympics. You were so spoiled with that and I had some solid performances there as well.”
Rio, for most, has been the austerity Games, suffering by comparison with its predecessor.
“Here it was always about coming to get a medal. I put a bit too much pressure on that side. I had a bad day at the office but I’m not a bad swimmer. One small mistake cost me that spot in the final.”
But he remains Robbie Renwick, the reluctant Olympic silver medallist. After a fantastic career, it is the least he deserves.
“It was hard to get my head around it at the start. When I got the silver medal, I couldn’t quite believe it. But now it’s sinking in.”