Four golds as Hannah beats the pain barrier
Gruelling schedule for Miley
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INVERURIE’S Hannah Miley broke through the pain barrier to win her fourth gold medal of the Scottish National Championships.
Her 18th and final race of the event was the gruelling 1,500m freestyle.
Hannah admited after completing a third of the distance, she tried to pick up the pace, only to hit a wall.
But the 19-year-old still touched home first in a time of 16:46.11.
Hannah said: “It was incredibly hard, but I had to do it at some point.
“After the first 500m I thought it was time to pick it up.
“But then I thought, ‘no, I’ve hit a wall’.
“I am just a little bit tired.
“But I can say I did 18 races going into the World Championships, where I am only doing three events.
“It was very hard, but I can’t complain because I get a lot out of it.
“Hopefully that will make the Worlds a lot easier because it is only one event a day.”
Hannah believes competing in multiple events while growing up helped her cope with the demands of taking part in so many races at the Scottish Championships in Glasgow.
The Garioch swimmer’s dad Patrick, who is also her coach, used to enter his daughter in as many races as possible.
Hannah reckons she is now benefiting from that strategy.
She said: “I did a lot of back-to-back racing as a youngster.
“My dad always thought that if I was able to swim the race because I had the time to do it, then why not?
“It was quite common for me to go to two-day competitions and swim in everything.
“For the finals I would do the girls race, get out and wait for the boys, then get back on my blocks for the next one.
“My dad has been able to build up my toughness from that. It has paid off because it lets me compete in multiple events and not be too affected by them.”
Before winning the 1,500m, Hannah also claimed gold in the 200m breaststroke in a time of 2:31.50.
That event is one of three Hannah will definitely race for Great Britain in at next month’s World Championships in Rome, Italy.
The RGU student will also be gunning for medals in the 200m and 400m individual medley.
Hannah took gold in both those events at the Scottish Championships in Tollcross Park Leisure Centre.
Regarding her medal haul, Hannah said: “It was more than I expected.
“The main focus on day one was just to get a good, solid time for the 200m freestyle to try to get on the relay team for the World Championships.
“The rest of it, as my dad said, was just training.”
Hannah now faces an anxious wait to learn if she will make the relay team.
She said: “The relay is pending because British swimming have to discuss what the best strategy is.
“I was fifth fastest and obviously they will selected the top four.
“But they might also pick the fifth and sixth, so two of the other swimmers can rest in the heats.
“You run the risk of maybe not making the final, so they will have to discuss it and make plans.”
Fellow Aberdonian David Carry finished one place in front of Renwick.
Carry’s time of 1:48.39 was not good enough to represent Britain over that distance in Rome.
But the two-time Commonwealth gold medallist has been selected to swim in relays at the World Championships, which start on July 17.
