THERE are plenty who would consider it a travesty were Duncan Scott’s name absent when the BBC Sports Personality of the Year reveals its long list of contenders next weekend.

Based on performances in 2018, there may be a debate over whether he or Adam Peaty merits the designation as British swimming’s No 1 and who is merely 1a. Beyond doubt is that the 21-year-old European and Commonwealth titles this year have propelled him ever closer to world’s best.

Yet despite seven titles inside three days as the Scottish short-course championships concluded in Edinburgh last night, the double Olympic medallist remains his own harshest critic. Pros and cons, perhaps. No leeway to relax, no faltering in chasing greater prizes.

He ended almost two seconds clear of Craig McLean in winning the 200 metres freestyle but it was neither a domestic record nor the absolute performance he constantly seeks.

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“It wasn’t effortless,” he said. “My rate dropped a bit which was disappointing. But I know where I’m at now, where my skillset is, going into the long course. I feel I’m a bit further behind that some guys, in my dive and my turns, but I can look at that. But generally, there’s things I can look at which is good and I can carry that into next season.”

Scott McLay, his training partner and, even now, potential successor did claim a Scottish record to underline his growing stature. His time of 23.46 seconds broke Todd Cooper’s existing mark which had stood since 2003, holding off fellow teen Jacob Peters for victory and a splash of history.

“I didn’t hold back,” McLay said. “I know it would be tight with Jacob but I thought I’d go in and see what I could do but I was quite surprised when I popped my head up and saw the time. Fly is pretty new to me. I only really started it last season so I’m still working on the technical parts. But I’d like to make sure I keep working on that and freestyle.”

Former world junior champion Freya Anderson finished off a victory-filled meeting by surging from sixth to supremacy in the 200m freestyle final, barely 30 minutes after the 17-year-old had sustained a surprise loss to the University of Edinburgh’s Tain Bruce in the 50m butterfly.

For a while it looked as if Lucy Hope had Anderson’s measure but the Englishwoman’s potency is one reason why she is earmarked for greatness.

“I quite like hunting people down but Lucy was going out so fast and I wasn’t expecting it,” she said. “But that felt quite nice. I had to fight a bit over the last 50m but I’ve felt good all week.”

Cassie Wild won the 100m backstroke in 58.72 seconds while Ross Murdoch earned a hat trick of breaststroke titles with a triumph in the 200 with Craig Benson once again his vanquished foe. “We were in the trenches, fighting until the finish,” Murdoch said. “My phrase of the week has been just getting things done. And I did, just.”

Elsewhere, Stephen Clegg scythed his own S12 backstroke world record to 25.30 secs while fellow Paralympian Scott Quinn cut a second off his own world SB14 200m breaststroke mark with a time of 2:19.66.