Shanahan back after ‘three weeks from hell’

KATIE SHANAHAN has been t hrough t he r i nger but has emerged, if not unscathed at least ready to get her feet wet at f urther major championships this summer.

The Glaswegian prospect tuned up for the trials for the world championships and Commonwealth Games with second place in the 400 metres individual medley at the Edinburgh International last night behind fellow 18-year-old Freya Colbert.

It was all the more remarkable after what she described as “three weeks from hell”.

“I had a toenail infection and had to get it removed so I couldn’t swim for a few days. And then I got a cold, which I thought was Covid. So I wasn’t really doing any sessions and had to take it easy.”

Amid the recovery came the boost of receiving an unconditional offer to study at Stirling University, concluding the formalities of switching to their redoubtable swimming team by the autumn. Duelling with Colbert, she led for much of the race but was out of gas for the concluding freestyle leg.

“I completely died,” she shrugged. “But you know, I gave it my best shot. I really wanted to just push it from the start, even though the consequences were I died, but I’m not too bothered, I’m quite happy with that.”

Duncan Scott stepped up in distance to win the 400m individual medley in a meeting record of 4:15.44 in one of his frequent experiments with the big picture of self-improvement in mind.

“It’s double the distance,” said the Olympic champion who will return to his familiar 100m freestyle today as well as the 50m breaststroke. “It really highlights the areas that I need to work on, whether that’s around the walls back to breast or particular elements of breaststroke. And it puts my freestyle under serious pressure. It’s so good learning, but Jesus, it is tough.”

Scott Gibson won the men’s 50m backstroke in 25.50 secs with Cassie Wild taking the women’s. Scottish duo Keanna Macinnes and Tain Bruce were second and third behind Louise Hansson in the 100m butterfly.