The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
No more worries for Miley as world berth is booked
Scot was taking nothing for granted
Inverurie swimmer Hannah Miley is relieved to have landed a spot at this summer’s world championships in Budapest.
The 27-year-old claimed a British championship double last week with gold in the 400 metres and 200m individual medley races.
The double Commonwealth champion was yesterday named in the 29strong British team to compete in Hungary in July.
Fellow Scots Duncan Scott (University of Stirling), Ross Murdoch (University of Stirling), Inverness-born Stephen Milne (Perth City Swim Club) and Mark Szaranek (Edinburgh University) have also been included in the squad.
Miley said: “I don’t like tempting fate by expecting to be somewhere before the selection process has been completed, I am worried I will jinx it and it might not happen. I like to keep myself grounded and levelheaded as anything can happen.
“The target was to do my fastest swim in the summer,
“It is only 12 weeks away and is going to come round pretty quickly”
whether that was in Budapest or another meet.
“It has been confirmed I will be in Budapest so the purpose now is keep going as I think it is only 12 weeks away and is going to come round pretty quickly.
“I know I have to go into the championships with the expectation I will need to be faster than I was at the British championships.”
Miley was thrilled to claim double gold in Sheffield. Her victory in Saturday’s 200m IM came after Olympic silver medallist Siobhan-Marie O’Connor was disqualified for a false start and the Scot added: “The week exceeded my expectations. A lot has happened since the Olympics in Rio and I wasn’t really sure where I was at.
“I knew I could swim fast as my training has been going well and I have been loving what I have been doing with my new programme, but I just wasn’t sure if that would transfer into my racing.
“It was quite positive that my race times were better or just about the same as they were when I was trying to qualify for the Olympics last year. I feel confident and content I can still post those times and I was really chuffed.”
Olympic 100 metre breaststroke champion Adam Peaty heads the British team for Budapest after gaining a spot automatically by winning his even tina qualification standard time at the British championships in Sheffield.
That was also achieved by Max Litchfield, Ben Proud, Jocelyn Ulyett and Scott.
Peaty will defend his 100m and 50m breaststroke world titles at the Budapest competition in July.
British Swimming head coach Bill Furniss said: “The British championships was a tough week but there were some very good performances as both athletes and coaches rose to the challenge.
“It was a typical first selection competition following an Olympic Games. Some of our athletes that were successful in Rio, and had an extended break afterwards, did well yet others did not fire on all cylinders. This is to be expected.
“However, we’ve got all of our leading swimmers there along with an exciting group of juniors that came through and showed themselves and their potential to achieve in the international arena.”