Ross Murdoch

Ross Murdoch

Personal information
Full name	Ross Murdoch
National team	Great Britain
Born	(1994-01-14) 14 January 1994 Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Breaststroke
Club	University of Stirling
Coach	Ben Higson
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Great Britain World Championships (LC) 2015 Kazan 4×100 m mixed medley 2015 Kazan 100 m breaststroke European Championships (LC) 2016 London 200 m breaststroke 2016 London 4 x 100 m medley 2014 Berlin 100 m breaststroke 2014 Berlin 200 m breaststroke 2016 London 100 m breaststroke 2016 London 50 m breaststroke Representing  Scotland Commonwealth Games 2014 Glasgow 200 m breaststroke 2014 Glasgow 100 m breaststroke

Ross Murdoch (born 14 January 1994) is a Scottish competitive swimmer who has represented Great Britain in the FINA world championships and European championships, and Scotland in the Commonwealth Games. Murdoch won the gold medal in the 200 metre breaststroke at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, beating favourite, Olympic silver medalist and fellow Scot Michael Jamieson. In 2015 he formed part of the Great Britain squad that won gold in the mixed 4 x 100 metre medley relay at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, swimming in the qualifying heats, and adding a relay world title to the individual bronze won days earlier in the men's 100 metre breaststroke behind teammate Adam Peaty. In 2016 he qualified for the 100m breaststroke for the Great Britain team in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He later won his first European title with a gold medal in the 200 metre breaststroke, also picking up a silver medal in the 100 metre breaststroke silver medal behind teammate Adam Peaty and a bronze medal in the 50 metre breaststroke.

Swimming career

Ross' first notable performance was in the 200 m breaststroke final at the British Gas Swimming Championships 2012 where he achieved a seven-second personal best^[1] at the London Aquatics Centre.

In 2013, Ross made his senior international debut at the World Championships in Barcelona, in which he placed 30th in the 50 m breaststroke in 28.00 and advanced to the semi-finals in the 100 m breaststroke, placing 11th in 1:00.07. Ross was also selected for the British 4×100 m Medley Relay which came 9th in the Championships.

In 2014 Ross had international success with Gold in Austin Grand Prix for both the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke as well as taking Gold in the 100 m breaststroke in the Flanders Speedo Cup,^[2] receiving the award for top male swimmer due to achieving the highest number of FINA points.^[3] In the Scottish National Championships and Commonwealth Trials, Ross picked up two Golds and a Silver medal, achieving a Scottish record in the 100 m of 59.75 which he since improved to 59.56 at the British Championships 2014. In 2015 he claimed the bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke, placing third behind fellow British teammate Adam Peaty and South African Cameron Van Der Burgh with a time of 59.09.^[4]

He is currently coached by Ben Higson,^[5] although predominantly coached by Jimmy Orr of West Dunbartonshire through his youth and is mentored by Rebecca Adlington^[6]

Commonwealth Games

In July 2014, Murdoch competed in the 2014 Commonwealth Games which were held in his home city of Glasgow, Scotland. Murdoch successfully qualified (coming first) for the final of the 200 metre breaststroke with fellow Scots, favourite Michael Jamieson and Calum Tait. He won the Men's 200 metre final, beating Jamieson and Tait at the Tollcross Swimming Centre. This was Murdoch's first major gold medal.^[7]

On the second day of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Murdoch qualified as the second fastest swimmer for the 100 metre breaststroke in a time of 59.72; the fastest qualifier was Adam Peaty in a time of 59.16. In the final, Murdoch won a Bronze medal with a time of 59.47. Adam Peaty won the race in a Commonwealth Games Record of 58.94, followed closely by Cameron van der Burgh for Silver in 59.28.

Ross also successfully qualified for the final of the 50 metre breaststroke, placing 6th in the final.^[8]

Personal life

Murdoch started swimming in Alexandria in West Dunbartonshire, close to his hometown of Balloch, when he was 6 years old. He stated his father as being inspirational as he pushed him to achieve success. He was a pupil of Balfron High School.

References