Folklore may tell us that it is the Irish leprechauns that stash their pots of gold at the end of a rainbow but if these Commonwealth Games are anything to go by, Scotland has its own plentiful supply of this precious resource. There were gold medals in shooting, tennis, cycling and boxing and of course the swimming pool played host to some sensational Scottish performances.
After Robbie Renwick clinched the top spot in the 200m freestyle, Hannah Miley went out and did it for the girls, bringing home the gold in the 400m Individual Medley. It was the icing on the cake for Miley having already scooped gold at the European Championships in Budapest earlier on in the year. In fact, she’s becoming a regular feature at this event having been crowned champion in Istanbul in 2009 as well.
For most athletes it is both an honour and a privilege to represent your country at the Commonwealth Games and Miley is no exception. “We only get to do it once every four years, so it’s really nice to do one for Scotland. The team spirit was really great, we bonded well and the challenges Delhi threw at us made us look out for each other and really brought us together.”
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Relates stories:
Swimming: Two medals for GB on first night of European Championships
Swimming: Hannah Miley doubles golds on final day of Championships
Swiming: European record for Miley
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And talking of challenges, the media hype surrounding the Games meant spectators waited with baited breath to see what our athletes would make of Delhi 2010. “It was better than expected. It was a bit frayed around the edges, some things could have been a bit better but it was a great experience and one that will stay with us for a long time.”
Four years ago in Melbourne, Miley was a young 16 year old who came agonisingly close to a medal, coming fourth in the 400m Individual Medley. This time around, however, she was a swimming heavyweight and any teething problems the Games had certainly didn’t seem to stand in the way of Scottish success. I wanted to know exactly what it takes to become a Commonwealth gold medallist…
“I train 36 hours a week about 26 of which are in the pool. I also do strength and conditioning, rock climbing, pilates and running. I have Saturday off – Saturday is a day of complete rest!” And as if that isn’t hard enough, Miley throws pullbuoys, kickboards, hand paddles, snorkels and sponges into the mix.
Despite this incredible intense physical work out, it seems her mental attitude is as much to thank as anything. Miley’s dad, who coaches the team, has set a rule within the club that encapsulates everything that good sporting practice is. He has taught the team to be independent. Which basically means no help from mum and dad getting up in the mornings, no being dragged down to the pool, you get the picture…
“We have to be the ones that want to go to the pool; we, as swimmers, make that choice to go and train. I can’t miss a session because it would be a hole in my training that won’t get me the results I need for the competitions. If you feel like rolling over and going back sleep, you need to think about your competition and ask yourself whether they would miss a training session. And nine time out of 10, the answer is no!”
“Independence is a huge thing; it’s about us becoming and developing as individual athletes, it’s us making the choices to become what we want to be.”
Wise words and it’s now clear why Miley is the swimming sensation that she is. With Great Britain reunited for 2012 keep your eyes peeled for Hannah Miley on the starting blocks, I have a feeling she’s going to make quite a splash in 2012…
Kirsty Page, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
Image credit: Vaughan Ridley, SW pix
