Swimmer Hannah Miley reflects on unexpected highlights
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
As three time Olympic swimmer Hannah Miley announces her retirement from competitive swimming, she has been reflecting on career highlights that dive deeper than medals and breaking records.
Reigning British record holder over 400m medley, in both the Olympic 50m long-course pool and the half-sized short-course pool, Miley also leaves the fast lane as the Scottish standard bearer in no fewer that seven events, covering medley and all strokes barring backstroke.
The most decorated Scottish woman ever in her sport, with 28 medals at World, European and Commonwealth levels, she also held Scottish records on all four strokes and medley during her carer.
While she says that one of the best bits of her 17 year career is, of course, retaining her title at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after overcoming incredible pressure to perform well on 'home soil' against who was considered her biggest rival at the time Aimee Willmott she also speaks of a less obvious highlight.
She became only the third Scottish athlete in any sport to keep a title in the history of the event
While she may not have realised it at the time, coming fourth in the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro in 2016 was actually one of the best things that happened for Hannah (32) in all her years of competing.
After missing out on a medal by mere milliseconds, her confidence took a hit and for years she struggled to come to terms with missing out on her dream.
She has since come to realise the impact that losing has had on her non-swimming life, helping her to develop tools for dealing with all of the things that life throws her way - and, of course, coming out fourth in the entire world is not bad either.
Explaining, Hannah said: "Success is more than just medals."
Looking back over her swimming career, Hannah's advice to young people inpired to follow her footsteps is: "don't be afraid of the setbacks."
She said: "It will never be a straight line, and it's all part and parcel of being an athlete.
"It's also really important to make sure that you have a good support network around you - that could be your family, your friends or anybody you choose, but you definitely need a good group of people around you."
For Hannah that network has been her family, especially her dad Patrick - now head of the University of Aberdeen Performance Centre - who has been her coach since day one.
Being an Olympic athlete wasn't quite a lifelong dream for Hannah, but she was inspired after watching the Olympic swim trials for Team GB who would travel to Sydney in 2000.
She announced her retirement on December 1, a poignant date as it was when she won her first international medal in the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia aged 15, and said that she was totally overwhelmed by the response to her announcement.
This is not the end for Hannah, however, as she has a number of exciting projects in the pipeline including supporting young women to work with their bodies in a way that encourages them to continue pursuing sport.
Local MSP Gillian Martin put a motion forward to the Scottish Parliament to mark the Inverurie-born athlete’s success during her 17-year international career.
Commenting, Gillian Martin MSP said: “It has been an honour for everyone in the north-east to see the rise and rise of Hannah Miley in competitive swimming.
“I know so many people in Aberdeenshire are proud of everything she has achieved to date and while this may be the end of her competitive swimming career, there is no doubt Hannah will continue to achieve great things.
“Hannah has been a wonderful role model and ambassador for her sport. Her work in the Garioch area has been invaluable and I would like to wish her every success in her future.”
Taking to social media, Hannah's former club Garioch Amateur Swimming Club wrote: "It would be easy to describe Hannah Miley’s legacy in terms of numbers: three Olympic games, double Commonwealth champion, World and European Champion, European Record Holder, over 17 years of International Racing.
"This record, in itself, is incredible but her legacy is much broader and deeper than simply her sporting achievements.
"We were fortunate to have Hannah swim at Garioch ASC for twenty years.
"For many of us at this club, she remains a guiding light for the principles that drive this club forward.
"She has typified these characteristics throughout her career, being confident, hard-working, and performance-focused - all whilst having fun.
"She can rightly stand at the end of her career and know she could not have given any more.
"There's genuine warmth in the way that people interact with Hannah and how she communicates with them.
"That's clear from the recent Zoom meetings that she's been on with members from Garioch.
"From our head coach to new swimmers, to parents and management committee members - be that detailed technical discussions, sessions on girl's health, pilates sessions, talking about her swimming life, or even 'lockdown quizzes' - she is rightly known for her cheerfulness.
"Her last competitive race was in the 400 individual medley at a meet Garioch ASC held a few weekends ago.
"Whilst we were all aware that she started her swimming career here, we had no idea she would want to complete the circle at our new pool; an incredibly kind gesture to us as a club and a true example of the type of person Hannah is.
"At Garioch ASC, we have enjoyed being part of the wider swimming family that's played a role in Hannah's incredible journey and we appreciate the legacy of inspiration that she leaves us with, a fantastic role model for our athletes.
"Hannah, we want to give you our best wishes for your future from all here at Garioch ASC.
"Whatever you do, we know it's going to be done with guts, determination, skill and with a smile on your face."
Aberdeenshire Paralympian Conner Morrison said: "I’ve known Hannah for the majority of my swimming life and career.
"During that time she has been an amazing team mate, a valuable supporter and teacher that I will forever be grateful for.
"I’ll always look up to Hannah and the amazing success she’s had as an athlete and I hope I can still swim with her on the occasion.
"Thank you Hannah, I wish you the most amazing retirement "
