AS SHE caught her breath after her bronze-medal run in the 400-metres hurdles at the MCG, Lee McConnell seemed as relieved as she was elated. And she was elated, for third place in her new discipline vindicated her decision to switch from the 400m sprint, in which she won Commonwealth silver four years ago. But the relief also owed more to the practical considerations.
On the back of her success in Manchester, which was reinforced a few weeks later by a bronze in the European championships, McConnell became the poster girl for Scottish sport and picked up lucrative contracts with companies such as Adidas, Well Woma
n and Red Bull. All signed up to back her again this year, but McConnell knew that would almost certainly be it if she did not win at least a Commonwealth or European medal. Anything less would certainly have been interpreted as a backward step.
McConnell is an unusual phenomenon in Scottish sport and among Scottish athletes: she exudes commercial appeal. But to maintain that, she must maintain a high profile, which depends on worthwhile results - and she has not enjoyed too many since 2002.
With the success of other Scots, McConnell might have seen her status as the pin-up of Scottish sport - and as the face most closely associated with Glasgow's 2014 Commonwealth Games bid - under threat. It all added to the pressure on Thursday night: her earning potential was on the line.
Like many of the athletes, McConnell is also lottery funded, and she expressed her gratitude for that too. "I wasn't one of the people to be kicked off [the UK Athletics' lottery-funded programme], that's been a big help as well. I'm really relieved, and my sponsors will be happy. I've heard from a couple of them already: they texted to say it was good to see me back."
Few competing in the Games for Scotland have found themselves in McConnell's position, where they can hope to attract commercial sponsors as well as lottery backing. Possibly the only other individual is cyclist Chris Hoy, though he is an Olympic champion as well. But there will be others now who can expect commercial interest which could supplement their lottery support.
The most obvious case is Caitlin McClatchey, who claimed two swimming golds against high-quality line-ups with a panache that suggests the 20-year-old is destined for a bright future. McConnell offered this: "My advice would be to enjoy it." And laughing, she added: "Enjoy it - and get a good agent.
"I waited until the end of my [2002] season and then sat down with three or four agents. I spoke to different ones and found out which one I liked best, and which one I felt could take me on and do well for me.
"I wouldn't rush into it. These guys will still be waiting for her down the line, if they're going to do a good job for her. But I've got a really good agent who I'm happy with, and I backed up my Commonwealth medal with a European medal. People weren't that interested after the Games: I was new to the event, and I think they wondered if I'd be a one-hit wonder."
McClatchey will have an opportunity to confirm her new status as a starlet of the pool in next month's world short- course championships in China. But as she reflected on her success in Melbourne, she revealed that she had not given too much thought to the question of fame and to the commercial opportunities that could bring.
It is difficult to predict what these might be, but McClatchey seemed confident of what her response would be to any offers: "I'd love to sell the sport and encourage other people to come in. But I'm not in this to make money or get fame from it. I'm just in it to enjoy it.
She is studying for a politics degree at Loughborough University, and at present sees herself as a student rather than a professional athlete.
"I know a lot of people take it as a profession, but it's just a sport that you can't really make a lot of money out of in Britain.
"I don't think I would do adverts. Maybe if it was something fun, I don't know. I just want to keep my head out the clouds. I don't really want to do media things or anything like that."
Chris Martin, the Scottish Institute of Sport's swimming coach, described 20-year-old McClatchey as level-headed and had few concerns that she would be distracted by the -attention she was bound to receive, especially if she moved on to fulfil her vast potential. But he acknowledged that she was entering uncharted territory: in Britain swimming is not a sport that has traditionally produced stars whose fame transcends the pool.
McClatchey tries to keep a balance between her education, social life and swimming, so commercial activity would be just another aspect that she might have to work into her regime.
She was more concerned, she stressed, that swimming should benefit from its higher profile.
"I really hope so. We have just achieved a fantastic result here, and I think at home there's been a really positive response to what we've been doing. So I really hope that encourages people to watch or to get in the sport, and hopefully it's all going to help towards getting the Games in 2014 in Glasgow."
