Double Olympic medallist Jazz Carlin’s outstanding achievements last summer in Rio de Janeiro are driving her on in her quest for further success on the world stage.
The Bath swimmer came away from the Olympics with two silver medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle, meaning she has reached the podium at all major competitions – Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth.
Given the highs of Rio, it would be understandable if the 26-year-old had chosen to retire but Carlin opted to continue, intent on improving and with the World Championships in Budapest this summer on the horizon.
She explains: “I sat down with Dave (coach Dave McNulty) after Rio and he said ‘are you going to carry on? I think you’ve still got more to give, I think you can still keep improving’.
“In Rio I still felt great when I was racing and I was still enjoying it. I will always love that racing environment so for now I just want to keep competing and keep trying to challenge myself every day.
“I am so lucky to be involved in the sport that I love and I am passionate about, and to do something like that every day you do feel very lucky to be able to say that.“I still have more things that I want to do, more things I want to achieve and to still be competing at the highest level because that is where I feel most natural and that is what I enjoy the most.”
Carlin has identified areas where she can make gains and will be looking to continue her work on these when she takes part in the British Swimming Championships (18-23 April) in Sheffield.
“It’s natural to want to keep improving and in training you are always trying to find that edge that can help you improve or make that marginal difference,” said Jazz.
“I still feel there are ways where I can improve and in Rio it was good to see it pay off in certain aspects and I was still getting faster. It’s finding those small things which can make a big difference really.”
It was especially sweet for the Welshwoman who had missed out on a home Games in London in 2012 because of illness and there had been further disappointment at the 2013 World Championships where she finished fourth in the eight-length race while failing to make the 800m final.
“I think you really get to appreciate your journey once you come out the other side and really get to enjoy the high moments. I think it makes it that bit more special when you’ve gone through quite a tough time.”
Belief played a major part in her Rio success as she stood on the blocks knowing she, and the team around her, could not have done any more.
She has nothing but praise for the National Training Centre, Bath which she joined in late 2014 and which is enjoying consistent success - Carlin, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and Chris Walker-Hebborn among the Olympic medals last year alone.
Carlin echoes others’ respect for McNulty’s versatility and recalls: “When I was walking down to the call room in Rio he gave me a really tight hug and I remember thinking I wasn’t just doing it for myself, I was doing it for him as well for all the work that he has put in.
“He is that sort of coach that you want to do it for him, you want to make him proud, he puts in so much work, he is so dedicated and motivated and so passionate about what he does.”
Carlin first made the British team in 2009, part of the 4x200m Freestyle squad that won bronze at the 2009 World Championships in Rome.
Now she is passing on the lessons of her experience and acted as a mentor to 17 development female swimmers at the US Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis.
“To help them on their journey, share some experiences, to give them the best chance really to make it on to the senior level,” says Carlin, who hopes to continue in a mentoring role.
“Just being on the other side with it was different but I really enjoyed it: getting to know the girls there, they are really tough and I think just competing at somewhere like Indianapolis where there is such strong competition, you have got to be on your game.“It was really interesting to see how they handled it all, they are a great bunch. I feel very lucky to be on the other side of it because I was one of those girls once that was really quiet and reserved and shy."
“I enjoyed getting to know them all as individuals, not just as swimmers but the person behind the swimmer as well.
“It was really good getting to know them and seeing them race as well because I don’t think I was as confident and as tough as that age.”
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