PULL OF THE POOL
Murdoch won’t rule out a future return to swimming as he joins police after leaving university
ROSS MURDOCH is swapping the pool for the police following his graduation from the University of stirling — but says he ‘still dreams about swimming’ every night.
The university gave his career in the pool a springboard after the 28-year-old joined in 2012 as part of the high performance swimming programme.
Murdoch, from Balloch in West Dunbartonshire, graduated yesterday with a masters degree in sport management and is now set to begin a career in policing — although may also return to swimming.
He announced he was retiring last December — but came back for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this year, winning three bronze medals.
‘A Commonwealth Games is a massive thing,’ said Murdoch. ‘It really does feel like a family — that feeling of swimming for scotland. There’s just nothing else like it.’
The university supported Murdoch as he competed at two olympics and three Commonwealth Games.
‘I’ve not officially retired but I haven’t been training in the pool for several weeks,’ he added.
‘For me, if I still feel this type of fire in eight or nine months, I could consider the possibility of another Commonwealth Games.
‘But training for a Games is a difficult job and I need to wait and see with everything else — and whether it balances with my life after sport. For me, swimming for scotland was the biggest thing.
‘It was always my main dream and I have gone on to compete at two olympic Games, three Commonwealth Games, and numerous World and European Championships.
‘I’m so proud of myself that I’ve managed to achieve that.’
Murdoch shot to fame when he won gold in the 200-metres breaststroke ahead of countryman Michael Jamieson and became the hero of Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealths.
He said stirling has been a ‘very big part’ of his life over the last decade, and he has been ‘very privileged’ to call it his home.
‘Everyone’s work is really tailored and unique to them — and I think that just helps get the best out of everybody each season and increases the longevity of the swimmers,’ he said.
‘I believe that’s why the athletes that we have here don’t just swim for one cycle. They swim for two or three olympic cycles, and I think that’s only going to improve.
‘I have built up quite a lot of experience and I’ve never been one to learn the easy way.
‘I think somebody who has taken a few hard knocks and learned the hard way is often better to hear from, so I’d love to be able to pass anything like that on to anyone else.’