2019 SCOTTISH OPEN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, December 13th – Sunday, December 15th
- Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh
- SCM
- Entry List
- Live Results
The 2019 Scottish Short Course National Championships are almost upon us, with the nation’s elite and amateur talent hitting the Royal Commonwealth Pool beginning on Friday, December 13th.
The decorated Scottish athlete ever at a Commonwealth Games, Duncan Scott, is expected to race in Edinburgh, with the 22-year-old having just earned the 200m free silver medal in Glasgow at this year’s European Short Course Championships. He was a member of the silver medal-winning mixed 4x50m freestyle relay for Great Britain, while the Stirling star also notched Scottish records in the 50m free and 100m free to add to his 200m IM British national record from the meet.
Both Scott McLay and Freya Anderson were on that relay as well, with both athletes set to compete at these Short Course Championships. Anderson was especially remarkable in Glasgow, having taken the 100m/200m free double gold ahead of such stalwarts as Italian Oykmpic icon Federica Pellegrini and Dutch record holder Femke Heemskerk.
Among the additional European Short Course Championships medalists set to compete in Edinburgh is Tom Dean, the relative newcomer who busted out the swim of his life to take 400m free silver in Glasgow. That represented the first senior international medal for Dean who placed 11th in the 200m IM at this summer’s long course World Championships in Gwangju, Korea.
Additional key athletes set to rock this weekend at these Scottish Championships include Ross Murdoch, Aimee Willmott, Craig Benson, Tain Bruce, Keanna MacInnes, Hannah Miley, Calum Jarvis, Stephen Milne, Cameron Kurle, Lucy Hope, Zak Aitchison, Katie Robertson, Kathleen Dawson, Cassie Wild, Tom Derbyshire, Kieran Bird, Danielle Huskisson, Emily Large, Nick Pyle, Mark Szaranek and Chloe Tutton.
Scott entered in some interesting events: 100 breast and 200 back (as well as 200 free). Speaking of which, the 200 free should be interesting: alongside Scott and Dean, you have the likes of Jarvis, Milne, Szaranek, Kurle and McLean, who are some of the main contenders for the fourth relay spot in Tokyo (assuming Scott, Guy and Dean are the three first members).
Interesting also to see Anderson entered in the 100 fly. GB could certainly do with a decent flyer for the medley relay (Hopkin would swim the free in that scenario). IIRC Anderson hasn’t swum fly very much at all, but produced a decent 59 last year at British Nats, which was quite promising.
Davies – O’Connor – Anderson – Hopkin
OR
Davies – Ulyett – O’Connor – Hopkin/Anderson
Van der Merwe may also be an option for breaststroke leg. Also Renshaw whose 100 was much improved last year. Certainly seem to be more options there than on fly.
I think Emily Large is still a possibility for the fly leg. She’s still young and I reckon she can get back to her best.
I probably agree the breast will most likely be O’Connor Ulyett or maybe Renshaw. Der Merwe improved alot last year and would need the same amount this year, its possible but a stretch. I think our fly will most likely be O’Connor or Thomas if she regains form. Large has fallen stagnant over that last few years since juniors and even then 200 was her main event over 100. I think Davies, Renshaw, O’Connor, Anderson is most likely our final team but all 4 strokes are up for grabs if Dawson can impove back to her best on the Back which she is showing signs off.
Scott’s gonna be exhausted by the time he arrives in Vegas.