Miley puts past setbacks behind her with brilliant bronze as Murdoch is edged out

Scotland’s Hannah Miley lit up the first evening of swimming at Tollcross as she claimed a superb bronze medal in the 400m individual medley as the Glasgow 2018 European Championships got properly under way.

The 28-year-old from Inverurie was returning to the pool in which she won a famous Commonwealth Games gold on the opening night four years ago and proved she is still podium class with an excellent swim. It was a sweet reward for the GB team stalwart, who has suffered multiple agonising fourth places in her long career.

This time, Miley, pictured, edged fellow Briton Aimee Willmott into fourth in a race which had a surprise winner in France’s Fantine Lesaffre, who registered a huge lifetime best to beat Ilaria Cusinato into silver.

Earlier in the day there was disappointment for the Scottish crowd as Ross Murdochsufferedanagonising elimination in the 100m breaststrokeandduncanscott was denied the opportunity to race in the 4x100m relay final. Murdoch, who won a breakthrough Commonwealth Games gold four years ago on that same opening night as Miley defended her title, finished third fastest in the heats of the 100m breaststroke. But, the two ahead were also British, meaning, due to the rules of the competition that only two per nation can progress, that he missed out on the semi-finals.

In world championships and Olympics there are only two entrants per nation, per event, but that is relaxed at the Europeans, which gives a chance for rookies to gain experience. In the case of the 100m breaststroke, however, Britain have the three fastest swimmers in the field and it was the Scot who was the unfortunate one to miss out. Olympic champion Adam Peaty set a new championship record of 57.89 in winning his heat, with Commonwealth silver medallist James Wilby qualifying in second place, finishing 0.2 seconds ahead of Murdoch in his heat.

Peaty remains unbeaten in this event and is going for a ninth European title in Glasgow. He returned to the Tollcross pool in the evening to win his semi-final in a slightly slower time of 58.04 seconds, still a league ahead of the second fastest qualifier Wilby.

“I’m disappointed, it was utterly close,” said Murdoch, who will now focus on his preferred event, the 200m, in which he is defending champion. “It was the fastest heat I’ve ever done by a country mile. It’s been three years since I was down near a time like that.”

In fact, it was the second fastest long-course 100m of Murdoch’s career, after the 59.09s he swam in 2015.

He later tweeted: “Swam a great race so I can keep my head held high. Second fastest 100m ever and it was in the heats! Very best of luck to the two Brits, certain they will do us proud.”

The Great Britain men’s 4x100m team, which included Scotland’s Craig Maclean, failed to make the final, for which Commonwealth champion Scott had been rested. Russia went on to take gold ahead of Italy and Poland.

For Miley, it was a measure of revenge after being denied gold by England’s Willmott in the same event at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.

Miley said: “It’s so nice to be able to come away with a medal – I’ve been touched out so many times.”