Aberdeen’s Jack Ness made the most of his opportunity to gain a qualification time for Scotland’s Commonwealth Games team after securing his place in the squad in impressive fashion at the North District Grand Prix in Aberdeen at the weekend.
The 18-year-old set a new Scottish record of 25.54 seconds, only 0.1 second away from the World junior record in the 50m backstroke which ensures he will be competing alongside City of Aberdeen Swim Team team-mate Andrew McGovern, who had already recorded a qualifying time.
Ness said: “I can’t believe it and it’s hard to put into words. I’ve felt good in training for the last week or so and hoped to swim quick but not that quick. It would be great to break the time in Glasgow.
“Andy and I are really close. We see each other all the time and are friends outside of training, but there is definitely a rivalry and we don’t like getting beat by each other.”
Strong performances over the course of the selection meets have also prompted nominations onto Team Scotland for Falkirk Integrated Regional Swim Team’s Duncan Scott (4×200 freestyle) and East Lothian Swim Team’s Raquel Matos (4×100 medley).
Garioch’s Hannah Miley, who has already been selected onto the squad, posted her fifth Team Scotland nomination time in the women’s 400m freestlye.
Miley said: “It was really unexpected as the training I’ve done has been quite challenging and really all I was trying to do was see where I was at in terms of preparation.
“To get that nomination time is really great and reinforces the training I’ve been doing is working.
“I’ve been feeling really good in training but not really transferring it into racing so I’ll just keep chipping away at it and hopefully it will all come good in the summer.”
The Scottish swimming team will prepare for the Games in Aberdeen at the Aquatics Centre and Miley is looking forward to enjoying the comforts of home.
She said: “Having the camp in Aberdeen is exciting and great for me but I’m trying to make sure I don’t get carried away and become a rabbit caught in the headlights. I’m in home territory for our preparation which is comfortable for me.
“As for the younger ones, my advice is soak up the atmosphere and try to enjoy it. If possible try to take it all in your stride.
“My first Games was in Melbourne in 2006 and I thought I’d lost my pass, ran about like a headless chicken and tried to break into my room as I thought my keys were in there too, only to find out it was all in my swimming bag the whole time. I learned the hard way to keep calm.”