Strachan’s Commonwealth dream edges closer

Swimmer Andrea Strachan has moved tantalisingly close to qualifying for this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The 21-year-old achieved the nomination time in the 50m Breaststroke on the final day of the National Swimming Championships in the city.

Strachan said she was “really happy” with the personal best time of 31.65 she recorded at Sunday’s Scottish Championships – the first stage of the Commonwealth trials at the city’s Toll Cross National Swimming Centre.

She will now compete in the British Championships on Thursday – again swimming a 50 metres breaststroke – in a bid to secure a place in the premier sporting event.

Qualifying for the games should prove to be the culmination of months of hard training for talented Strachan, who bagged two gold and three silver medals at last year’s NatWest Island Games in Bermuda.

“This whole year’s training, to be honest, is all towards the trials and making the team. Hopefully it’s all going to be worth it in the end.

“Right now I’m in the top three, but I still have to go and race on Thursday and hopefully keep my spot.”

The Scottish championships’ morning heats saw Strachan finish third and just a whisker away from the nomination time at one hundredth of a second.

She said she “felt good, and it was good to do some racing”.

Coach Chris Jones was also in a positive mood, and added she would “definitely make the time”.

The evening final saw Strachan return what was described as her best performance to date.

First prize went to fellow swimmer Corrie Scott, while second was achieved by Kathryn Johnstone and Strachan narrowly touched into third.