Scott Miller (swimmer)

Scott Andrew Miller (born February 21, 1975 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian butterfly swimmer, who competed at the Atlanta Olympics, winning a silver and bronze medal.

Coached by Barry Prime, the Manly-born swimmer emerged onto the international scene as a 19 year old at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, where he won the 100 m butterfly and the 4×100 m medley relay. In 1995, he became the World Short Course champion in the 200 m butterfly, and established himself as a contender for the Atlanta Olympics. While competing at the Pan Pacific Championships in Atlanta that year, he was imprisoned for a night after intervening in a fight outside a nightclub. He was later cleared of wrongdoing.

In Atlanta, Miller was the fastest qualifier for the 100 m butterfly final, setting a new Olympic record of 52.89s in his heat, raising Australian hopes of a first gold at these Olympics. However, Denis Pankratov, representing Russia had other ideas, who had reserved a rather controversial technique for the final. Pankratov employed the "submarine" technique of underwater swimming, which involved diving into the water and gliding underwater for as long as possible(as humans can dive quicker than they can swim). At the time, it was illegal for breaststrokers and backstrokers to stay underwater for more than 25 m after the dive, but this did not apply to butterfly. Pankratov glided underwater for 35 m and surfaced well clear, reaching the 50 m mark with a lead of roughly 1 m. Despite Miller's determined run home, he touched in 52.53 s to claim the silver medal, 0.36 s behind Pankratov, who broke a nine-year-old world record in 52.27 s.

After the race, Australian head coach Don Talbot was full of praise for Miller's efforts - "I haven't seen a swimmer come back as hard as Miller did. I've got to hand it to him." Miller also claimed a second medal; he combined with Michael Klim, Steven Dewick and Phil Rogers to claim bronze in the 4×100 m medley relay.

Miller had a difficult time upon his return to Australia. He was dismissed from the Australian Institute of Sport for repeatedly missing training sessions, and spent 1997 on the sidelines due to injury. Miller reappeared in the headlines in late 1997 when he tested positive to marijuana and was suspended by FINA for two months in 1998, despite his protestations. [cite web|url=http://www.drugsense.org/dsw/1997/ds97.n22.html#sec2|title=Miller Contests Allegation Of Dope-test Failure |date=1997-11-26|work=DrugSense Weekly|accessdate=2008-04-17] On his return from suspension, he had been surpassed by Klim and Geoff Huegill and was unable to gain selection for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He later made another comeback after the Sydney Olympics, but did not make any further impressions. In 2004, a horse named Krayzelburg which Miller part-owned with other swimming identities won the Sydney Entertainment Centre Trophy. [cite news|url=http://www.racingandsports.com.au/racing/rsNewsArt.asp?NID=43093&story=Krayzelburg_in_the_swim_at_the_Valley|title=Krayzelburg in the swim at the Valley|date=2004-06-16|publisher=Racing and Sports|accessdate=2008-04-17]

Miller was charged on 16 April, 2008 after police allegedly seized a commercial pill press, drugs and cash in a raid on a storage facility in Brookvale on Sydney's northern beaches.Police also allegedly found capsicum spray and steroids, a loaded revolver, tablets believed to be ecstasy, powder believed to be methamphetamine and $240 000 cash. Miller was charged with possessing a prescribed restricted substance and possessing an offensive weapon. He was released on bail to appear at Manly Local Court on May 7, 2008. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23555457-1702,00.html|title=Miller in hiding after drug bust|date=2008-04-17|publisher=news.com.au|accessdate=2008-04-17]

References

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External links

* [http://www.narrabeensports.nsw.edu.au/students/halloffame/scott_miller.html Narrabeen Sports High School Hall of Fame - Scott Miller]
* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mi/scott-miller-1.html Profile]