SWINDON’S Jazz Carlin is quickly becoming the golden girl of British Swimming.

Having suffered the heartache of missing out on her home Olympic Games in 2012 after a bout of glandular fever, the 24-year-old has come back hungrier to succeed than ever.

However, there is a calmness in the approach of the Tigershark swimmer, who knows she is not getting any younger and is determined to enjoy being at the top of her sport and soak in every occasion.

Rather than clambering to get her hands on every victory she can, her approach is methodical, all the way down to how she selected her training facility over the close season.

When her coach of seven years, Bud McCallister, returned to Australia she did not panic but used the opportunity to get stronger.

The results are clear to see. Having secured gold in the 800m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games, followed by double gold at the European Championships in Berlin, last year Carlin is continuing to go from strength to strength.

This year Carlin has already blown the national competition out of the water, claiming the 200m, 400m and 800m titles at the British Championships at the London Aquatics Centre.

This week she continued her preparations for the World Championships at the end of July in Kazan, Russia, with four gold medals at the Mare Nostrum Series.

Despite the growing popularity of the Swindon swimmer, Carlin appears to be taking it all in her stride and is keen to not experience the pain of four years ago.

“I don’t really see it as pressure,” she said.

“For me the main goal is the World Championships and that is what everything is geared towards.

“I want to do the best I can and be the best I can be, so I think I probably put the most pressure on myself, just because I want to do well.

“When you do all the hours of training you want it to turn out the way you want it to.

“It is nice to be swimming well and leading into Rio this is where I want to be and keep improving for the next couple of years.

“I nearly left the sport and walked away, but I am really glad I came back and I always felt there was more to give.

“I am in a healthier place now and in a better place mentally and physically and I think I am a lot stronger.

“The experience and the disappointment definitely made me stronger as a person who can now handle things, because sometimes when things get thrown up and they don’t go your way it is hard to handle. But I think I am ready for it.”