Murdoch coming up for air as he seeks relief from Rio disappointment
Walking out of the pool in Rio last August with his Olympic ambitions drowned and destroyed, Ross Murdoch sported the look of a haunted man.
So much had been expected of the Scot but he failed to make even the final of the 100m breaststroke. It took its toll, as Murdoch admitted.
“I didn’t quite realise how quick things were moving for me and it did get stressful for me,” the 23-year-old said.
“I did find it pretty hard to be honest and by the end of the cycle I was absolutely exhausted.”
Garnering world, European and Commonwealth golds within a two-year period would satisfy most. Not the Scot, who returned from Brazil to reflect and re-assess with his coach Ben Higson. Something, he sensed, had to give to allow him, even occasionally, to come up for air.
“You have so many emotional ups and downs in sport,” he said. “I was coming off the back of Rio last year, on a very big low moment of my life. To deal with the stresses of swimming, university, ordinary family life… trying to deal with all of that was a bit too much.”
Murdoch’s studies, at Stirling University, were deemed the most expendable component of his schedule.
He added: “Being able to step back has enabled me to get my life back in order. Because my life is more important than anything else.”
It reflects well that he recognised the perils before it did him in. And it has allowed the breaststroke specialist to begin a new cycle with replenished energy, starting with next month’s world championships in Budapest and onward to 2018, when he will bid to defend both his Commonwealth and European titles over 200 metres.
The latter, of course, will take place in Glasgow, part of the multi-sports European Championships co-hosted with Berlin, with Murdoch confirmed as the event’s first ambassador yesterday as tickets were placed on sale.
At the worlds, Murdoch’s goal is to improve on his individual bronze from Kazan two years ago. That was over 100m. This time, he acknowledges, the 200 is a better shot.