As the clock struck midnight on December 31, the one thought in many an athlete’s mind was “one more year to London 2012.” 

Yes, it is just 18 short months until the opening ceremony for the next Olympic Games and the countdown has truly begun for those hoping to be a proud member of Team GB. Two great swimming hopes are Scotland’s Commonwealth Games gold medallists, Robbie Renwick and Hannah Miley. 

For Renwick, Hogmanay offered a chance to look back and dream forward. He was able to sit back and reflect on a 2010 that was mixed with the elation of great achievement and the sadness of the loss of his lifelong coach, Eileen Adams. She lost her battle with cancer last April.  

It was at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October that the 22-year-old hit a career high with victory in the 200m freestyle, a title he dedicated to Adams’ memory. As he acknowledged, she would have been so proud of the guts and determination of the boy she started coaching when he a fledgling swimmer in his native Aberdeen.  

Now a member of the City of Glasgow squad – Adams took up the post of High Performance coach after the 2008 Olympics – Renwick is now working with Graham Wardell. 

“It has been a very smooth transition,” he said. “Graham worked with Eileen and the programme is continuing just the way she would have wanted. The Commonwealth Games 200m final was a very tough race, really hard. It was such a roller coaster year, but the result in Delhi couldn’t have been better.” 

The victory elevated Renwick to new heights, but he wants to go even higher with London 2012 earmarked as the time to reach the ultimate peak.  

It was an early start to 2011 with the British Gas Scottish Short-course Championships in Glasgow this month (January). 

“I want to start the New Year with some good swims,” he continued. “Now that I’m Commonwealth Games Champion I do feel there is a little extra responsibility to do well.”  

Miley had two peaks in 2010. She produced the fastest time of the year in the 400m individual medley to win the European Championship in Budapest in August and then followed up by taking the Commonwealth Games gold. 

With her confidence stoked up, the 21-year-old is already fully focussed on the future. “I’m already eight weeks into a new training season and it’s amazing to think the Olympics are only about 18 months away,” she said. 

“Even already 2010 seems a long way in the past. But everything I achieved last year keeps me inspired. I want to relive those feelings again.” 

A student at Robert Gordon’s University in Aberdeen, Hannah, who is coached by her father Patrick, at the Garioch Club in Inverurie, admits she couldn’t make it without the help of her sponsors and supporters – Xodus, Kellogg’s, Aberdeen City Council and Red Sky Management.  

“Dad and I enjoyed an outstanding 2010 had a very special year,” she added. “There is only one major event in 2011 (the world championships in Shanghai) and then everything will be full steam ahead to London 2012.” 

For Renwick and Miley, each page of the calendar will be ripped off with a mixture of excitement, anticipation and the inevitable nervousness that comes with having to stay fit, improve times and relish the challenge. But they have both proved they are up to the task and it will be enthralling for everyone in Scotland to follow their progress over the next 18 months.

EB

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