It says much about Katie Shanahan’s ambitions that becoming a regular in the GB swimming team, winning Commonwealth and European medals and an Olympic appearance still aren’t quite enough to ensure she feels entirely satisfied with how the past few years of her career have panned-out.
Still having so many unfulfilled goals has ensured the 21-year-old’s motivation is as strong as ever but it was a particular disappointment this summer that has strengthened her desire to succeed.
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Shanahan went into this summer’s World Swimming Championships having become British Champion in both the 100m and 200m backstroke and consequently, her sights were set on making a real push for her first global medal.
However, illness derailed her form at the World Championships and she failed to reach any finals but rather than feel deflated by her bad luck, Shanahan returned from those World Championships as driven as she’s ever been.
And so if the mark of a champion is how they react to setbacks, then this is a good sign for Shanahan.
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“Getting ill at Worlds was definitely a very hard pill to swallow – I was so upset because I knew how much work I’d put in and it felt like it had all gone to waste. That disappointment, though, did prove to me how much I love racing and how much I want to show how good I can be,” the 21-year-old from Glasgow says.
“I definitely wanted more from myself at Worlds, and I still want more going forward. I’m someone who always strives for more and is never really happy but maybe that’s a good thing.
“And having not been able to race the way I wanted at Worlds gave me a lot more motivation heading into this season coming up.”
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Katie Shanahan is optimistic of a good performance at the European SC Championships (Image: Getty)
Shanahan’s recent form has been encouraging, suggesting that the post-World Championships bounce of which she speaks is already showing in the pool.
Shortcourse personal bests in both the 50m and 100m freestyle in October were evidence of Shanahan’s form and she heads into this week’s European Shortcourse Championships, which begin in Lublin, Poland on Tuesday, in optimistic mood.
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Shanahan is due to swim the 200m backstroke as well as the 200m and 400m individual medley this week and while shortcourse is not the focus of her season, she admits she’s now at a point in her career in which silverware is always in her thoughts.
“I’m really looking forward to the European Shortcourse – it’s one of the more fun meets because with longcourse being the absolute priority, shortcourse can sometimes be a little bit less pressure,” says Shanahan, who will be joined by her fellow Scot, Duncan Scott in the 17-string GB team in Poland.
“Of course everyone wants to get medals and I’m no different so getting onto the podium is something I will aim towards, but I also have other goals which are about focusing on the process in terms of how I execute the race. So while the overall aim is to win medals, there’s smaller goals which are looking at the finer details and, in the long run, that’s probably more important.”
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Much of Shanahan’s recent good form is down to the work she’s putting in at her training base at the University of Stirling, which boasts one of the most successful swimming squads on the planet.
With former head coach, Steve Tigg, having departed last year, Ben Higson is now at the helm and after a year training under Higson, Shanahan’s been working on some of the things that will take her from being the very good swimmer she currently is to the truly great swimmer that she aspires to be.
“Ben coming in has been really great for me – there’s been no major changes and he’s kept the same structure that Steve had but Ben is so technically-focused and he spots all the little things that I would never see,” she says.
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“I’m definitely not at my peak yet, and every day I realise how much I’ve still got to work on.
“It can be tricky to balance the training of all four strokes and I am definitely someone who overthinks things and worries that I’ve not done enough. But as I’ve got older, I’ve begun to realise that if I trust the process then things will be fine.”
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Shanahan already has one eye on 2026, with both the European Championships and Commonwealth Games major targets for the Glaswegian.
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With Shanahan likely to be one of the poster girls for Team Scotland, she’s well aware of the pressure that’s likely to be upon her at Glasgow 2026 but despite her young age, she’s embracing the challenge and is looking forward to embracing the expectation that’ll be upon her come next summer.
“Pressure is definitely a privilege, so it is a good place to be in having pressure on me going into next year,” she says.
“Having won medals at the last Commonwealth Games, I definitely want to get medals again, especially with it being in Glasgow. So it’s a good place to be knowing that I should be a strong medal contender next summer.”
