Jazz Tunes In For Gold Coast After Ringing Endorsement

Jazz Carlin has set her sights on the next Commonwealth Games, but intends to bask in her Olympic glow for a few weeks yet.

The double swimming silver medallist from Rio is out of the pool at present and will allow herself more time to savour her achievements – and the affection they earned – before turning to the road to the Gold Coast in 2018.

Carlin – who earned a sliver medal in both the 400m and 800m freestyle in Brazil after years of heartbreak – was a guest of honour at the Swalec Stadium on Sunday and rang the bell to start play before England took on Pakistan in the final one-day cricket international of the series.

She said: “It’s been a whirlwind the past few weeks since being in Rio and then coming home.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it because we spend so many hours of training, so many weeks and months, it’s great to come out with some medals and celebrate it a little bit.

“This year has been incredible to be part of Team GB and obviously the Welsh side of things too. The Commonwealth games are coming up so that’s exciting, too, but I’ve got a few weeks now to relax and enjoy myself.

“Then, come the end of September, I’ll be back to training and back to hard work. It’s all about enjoying and appreciating this time.”

Carlin became only the third Welsh woman, after Valerie Davies (1932) and Irene Steer (1912) to win an Olympic medal in the pool and the first for 84 years. She was also only the ninth Welsh female to win a Games medal.

Standing on the Olympic podium completed a remarkable journey from Carlin, who almost quit the sport four years after failing to qualify for London 2012.