Ross Murdoch had a pretty good 2014 season. The 20 year old won the Commonwealth Games gold in the 200 breaststroke as well as a bronze in the 100 breaststroke on home soil in Glasgow. He then went on to win silver in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the European Championships in Berlin.
Murdoch saw a great deal of improvement during the season, with the most remarkable coming in the 200 breaststroke where he lowered his lifetime best by more than six seconds, going from a 2:13.62 to a 2:07.30, which was his winning time in Glasgow.
He set a new British record in the 200 breaststroke along with Scottish records in the 50 (27.28) and 100 breaststroke (59.33).
It has been hard for Murdoch to believe that the Commonwealth Games have come and gone since that is what he has had his sights on for the last two years, “For the last two years, all that has been on my mind has been the Commonwealth Games and now it’s gone,” Murdoch told The Herald.
“It’s very, very strange.”
Murdoch competed for the first time since the European Championships at the Singapore Swim Stars event, finishing sixth in the 100 breaststroke posting a time of 1:01.27.
He will now begin to focus on his two year journey towards the Rio Olympics where he will once again be shooting for the top of the podium.
He told The Herald that the 50 would take a backseat to the two breaststroke events he hopes to be competing for the Olympic gold, “The World Championships will be my benchmark meet for next year,” said Murdoch.”With the 50m breaststroke, I’m thinking at the moment that I’m probably not going to be swimming it in a major meet for the foreseeable future simply because for the next two seasons I’m going to be focusing on the Olympic Games.”
“You can’t actually swim the 50m at the Olympics so I think things will be focused around the 100m and looking at that to build the front end for my 200m. I’ll also be using the 200m so I have the back end of the 100m. They are going to compliment each other perfectly. The training plans that Ben and I have set out, we know it can work so it’s just about implementing that for the season ahead.”
Murdoch is currently ranked first in the world in the 200 breaststroke:
2014 LCM Men 200 Breast TYR World Ranking
MURDOCH
2.07.30
| 2 | Marco KOCH | GER | 2.07.47 | 08/21 |
| 3 | Dmitry BALANDIN | KAZ | 2.07.67 | 09/23 |
| 4 | Michael JAMIESON | GBR | 2.07.79 | 04/10 |
| 5 | Kevin CORDES | USA | 2.07.86 | 08/07 |
And fourth in the world in the 100 breaststroke:
2014 LCM Men 100 Breast TYR World Ranking
PEATY
58.68
| 2 | Christian SPRENGER | AUS | 58.87 | 04/03 |
| 3 | Cameron VAN DER BURGH | RSA | 59.28 | 07/24 |
| 4 | Ross MURDOCH | GBR | 59.33 | 08/18 |
| 5 | Giedrius TITENIS | LTU | 59.35 | 08/18 |
wpDiscuz
Can he win rio 200 breaststroke?
Will he win in Rio?
He will be on the mix for sure for Gold, we will have to wait what Gyurta will deliver at Kazan.. I would say gyurta is the favorite as he always seem to deliver exactly what is needed.. but Murdoch is one of the few guys who may have a chance to beat him
I believe he has a very good chance. I don’t think he even realizes how good he’s going to be. He was shocked to break the WR in the 50 breast and I think it’s a matter of time until he gets the records in the 100 and 200 breast.
Has any male swimmer simultaneously held the WR in the 50, 100, and 200 breast in the long course? Next year I think he can do it.
Oh, I fudged up, I got him mixed up with Peaty. Apologies.
Dont forget about Marco Koch, he will surprise everyone and grab the gold in Rio !