Earlier on Monday, Keanna MacInnes feared nerves were going to wreck her chances of a Commonwealth Games medal. The Scottish swimmer, 24, went in the semi-final of the 100m butterfly earlier in the day, qualifying third fastest for the final at Tollcross before producing a late surge in front of a boisterous Glasgow crowd to win silver.
How did MacInnes turn nerves into a medal?
As the afternoon stretched on and slipped into evening, MacInnes said she was working herself into a knot of tension. A conversation with coach Bradley Hay helped settle her before she stepped out in front of the rambunctious Glasgow crowd, and that advice paid off as she roared down the final few metres to claim a silver medal.
“I thought it would be nice to have the rest between the semi and final but I've been really nervous all day,” MacInnes told Scotland.
MacInnes said she had been struggling with the pressure throughout the day and was more focused on other concerns than on chasing a medal.
“I was really struggling to get food down, and was stressing about things like getting a medley relay slot instead of thinking about getting a medal tonight.
“My coach said to me I had nothing to lose but to just relax and enjoy it.”
Alongside fellow Scots Ciara Schlosshan and Lucy Grieve, MacInnes followed that advice. Third at the turn, she overhauled South Africa's Erin Gallagher as the noise grew louder and louder to earn a place on the second step of the podium.
What was MacInnes's reaction after the race?
MacInnes said she was still catching her breath after the finish and described the result as overwhelming. She said the crowd, her parents and her boyfriend made the moment especially memorable.
“Oh, God, I'm just starting to get my breath back,” she said. “That was so incredible.
“I'm so grateful to the crowd for making it such a special memory for me. I'm so greatful to my parents and boyfriend who are up in the crowd and I'm so glad I was able to do it in front of them.
“A silver is crazy to me. Maybe I was thinking 'bronze could be really cool' so this is just so amazing.”
Duncan Scott knows all about Games medals, given he has 14 of them in the house. Gold in Friday's 200m individual medley was a fine start to proceedings, but a couple of relay near-misses over the weekend were followed by another fourth place in the 200m butterfly on Monday.
Key Facts
- Keanna MacInnes won silver in the 100m butterfly at Tollcross on Monday.
- The 24-year-old Scottish swimmer qualified third fastest for the final after the semi-final earlier in the day.
- Coach Bradley Hay told her she had nothing to lose and should relax and enjoy the race.
- MacInnes finished ahead of South Africa's Erin Gallagher to take second place.
- Duncan Scott has 14 Commonwealth Games medals in the house and took gold in Friday's 200m individual medley.
