JAZZ Carlin almost walked away from the sport after missing out on London 2012 but her long wait to reach a first Olympic Games is finally over after she rubber-stamped her place in Rio with her final swim of the 2016 British Swimming Championships.

While her 200m freestyle on the opening night in Glasgow had all but assured her of a relay spot in Brazil, Swindon’s Carlin, who now lives in Bradford on Avon, had not made a qualifying time in any of her races – until Saturday night.

In the 400m freestyle, she was in a class of her own, but as has been the case all week, it was the race against the clock that was more important.

Cheered on amidst an electric atmosphere at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Carlin finished in a time of 4:04.33, just over three tenths under the qualifying standard.

Her place on the team will be confirmed when the squad is announced on Thursday, but after heartbreak four years ago when glandular fever wrecked her hopes of going to a home Olympics, relief was the overriding emotion for the 25-year-old.

She said: “Four years ago was absolutely heartbreaking and I nearly walked away from the sport. This week, the amount of pressure I put on myself has been overwhelming.

“But I watched the Olympics in London. I’d had a month or so out of the water and I thought 'I can give this one more shot'.

“It was amazing to watch the GB swimmers race but I knew I didn’t want to be watching on the sidelines again. I want to be there.

“I didn’t get the chance to be at a home Olympics but I’m just glad to have got that qualifying time.

“It’s sport, you never know what is going to happen, but as the saying goes, failure pushes you to success and I’ve really used that to bring me to where I am now.”

Carlin has demonstrated her international pedigree with medals at World, European and Commonwealth level.

And with Rio next on the horizon, the Welsh swimmer admitted emotions were high.

“It’s a massive relief and it really feels like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” she added.

“There were two voices in my head – one saying I wasn’t good enough and the other saying that I had this.

“From when I’ve been a little girl, I have always had that drive to race. I’ve always tried to listen to that little voice.”