SWINDON swimmer Jazz Carlin is ensuring she is in the best place possible to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games this winter.

The Games in Rio next year represent possibly her last chance for the 25-year-old to represent her country on the biggest stage of them all.

Carlin knows that every event between now and the British Swimming Championships next April, which will be used as the qualification event for the Olympics, will be important steps to achieving her ultimate goal.

The Tigersharks swimmer continued her progress yesterday as she claimed a sliver medal at the FINA Swimming World Cup series in Doha, finishing almost two-and-a-half seconds behind New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle.

“Next year is the Olympic year. It is the one everyone is talking about, it is the exciting one that only happens every four years,” she said.

“I am 25 and I still haven’t gone to an Olympics yet so going into that is a big target of mine.

“I think it is a stepping stone and you want to take the first steps to qualify in April - that is when I find out whether I will be going.

“I just need to do everything I can in training up until then.”

Carlin was just touched out of the medal places in the 400m freestyle at the World Championships in Russia in August, before making her way onto the podium to collect her bronze medal in the 800m freestyle.

The 25-year-old, who now trains at Bath University under David McNulty, came away from the games knowing that she had more in her and will be working hard in the close season to make sure she leaves nothing behind in April.

Carlin added: “I think I definitely walked away from the World Championships thinking what can I change? What can I add to the programme?

“I think that is good. I didn’t come away thinking that was everything I have and there were so many different ways that I need to sit down with my coach and put down on paper to really get the most out of my training.

“That is the most exciting thing for me is that I know there is more in me for next year.”