The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Murdoch back in love with his sport
GAMES: Scot has put rocky road from Rio behind him
Four years after dethroning the poster boy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Ross Murdoch has overcome his own demons in preparation for a title defence.
Michael Jamieson, the London 2012 silver medallist, was the face of Glasgow 2014, but was beaten by fellow Scot Murdoch to 200 metres breaststroke gold.
Jamieson has since spoken of physical and mental ordeals which followed his London podium place and is now retired and mentoring aspiring athletes.
Murdoch has endured travails of his own, not least being underwhelmed by his first Olympics in Rio, where he did not perform as he expected.
And the 24-year-old watched on as team-mates like Adam Peaty ensured Great Britain’s swimmers’ best Olympics in 100 years. Just a few months previously Murdoch had taken European silver behind Peaty over 100m.
“From Glasgow, I definitely have a much higher expectation of myself,” Murdoch said.
“In the run-up to Glasgow I was purely doing it because I just loved it. That was the sole reason for me competing.
“Maybe I lost a bit of that in the leadup to Rio. I always thought I never took myself that seriously, but when things didn’t go my way I took it very seriously.
“I didn’t deal with failures as well as I should. At the end of the day it’s just swimming, isn’t it? It’s just a hobby that I happen to be really good at.
“Post-Rio was a massive challenge for me.”
Murdoch put on almost a stone in weight after Rio and needed psychological support to be in condition for the 2017 World Championships trials last April. He made the team and finished fourth over 200m with his best times for three years.
His low point came despite being surrounded by some of his closest friends at Stirling University.
“I felt so lonely all the time. There’s absolutely no reason for it,” he said.
“I definitely didn’t feel quite right. We made a point of not really putting a name on it at the time. I never classified myself as depressed, I just felt pretty low.
“I definitely needed that psychological help. If I didn’t have that I’d have struggled to keep swimming.
“There was a time I didn’t think I wanted to do it any more, which now seems ridiculous. I absolutely love what I do and feel very blessed to be in the position that I’m in.”
Murdoch has changed his approach to his sport. This year, for Scottish swimmers in particular, is a big one.
Next month’s Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast is followed by August’s European Championships in Glasgow, at the Tollcross pool where Murdoch made his name.
“I feel like I’ve come out a better allround person after my experiences of Rio,” Murdoch added.
“I just enjoy what I do and feel very lucky to do what I do. I just want to keep going for as long as I can.”