JAZZ Carlin is such an experienced member of the British swimming squad that even some of her teammates forget she has not yet been to an Olympics but the freestyle star is ready to put that right for good.

After claiming the 200m freestyle title on the opening night of the 2016 British Swimming Championships, Swindon swimmer Carlin is virtually guaranteed a spot in the relays in Rio this summer, but she has bigger plans.

The 2015 world bronze medallist, who now lives in Bradford on Avon, was in imperious form in the heats of the 800m freestyle, her favoured event, this morning, qualifying fastest for tomorrow's final in a time of 8:36.92.

She will need to go much quicker in the final to secure an individual spot in Rio, but the 25-year-old is confident of putting right her London disappointment, after glandular fever put paid to her hopes of qualifying for the team four years ago.

She said: “It’s pretty tough looking back, a lot of my friends around here are all Olympians and they forget that I’m not.

"They’ll say ‘Remember when we were at the Olympics’ and I’ll say ‘Oh no, I wasn’t there’. It’s tough but I’ve still got that motivation to keep going and get out to Rio and hopefully I can be on that Olympic team this week.

“It’s been a busy few years, but I feel in a lot better place. There have been a few changes, I’ve had a change of coach so it’s been a mix-up the past few years but I’m happy to come out the other side.

“After last night and the 200m free, it’s about getting in and getting into your rhythm. After that you want get into that stroke rate and stick to it. I’m hoping to go quite a bit quicker tomorrow night.”

University of Bath-based Carlin will not have long to wait to find out if she has been selected in the squad for Rio, with the team announcement due a week on Thursday.

That squad will also be in action at the European Aquatics Championships in London next month, a competition for which Carlin is an ambassador.

The European Aquatics Championships will be the biggest event held at the London Aquatics Centre since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and will represent the last chance to see Great British athletes in action before they fly to Rio.

And after missing out on London 2012 four years ago, Carlin is determined to leave her mark this summer.

“I’ve been on the scene for quite a while but I still get really nervous and anxious before I swim and when you’re at Olympic trials there’s that extra bit of pressure,” she added.

“Everyone who is involved in sport, it’s the pinnacle so you want to be involved in that and involved in racing.

“But I don’t want to just go there and swim. I want to go there and be competitive and race the best in the world. You always want to go there and perform at your best.”

Tickets for the European Aquatics Championships – the biggest event to be held at the London Aquatics Centre since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games – from May 9-22 are now available at euroaquatics2016.london