SWINDON swimmer Jazz Carlin had to overcome her own demons to secure her place on the Great Britain swimming team for the Rio Olympics.

It was clear at the British Championships in Glasgow, which doubled as the Olympic trials, that the scars of missing out on her home Olympics four years ago had not fully healed for Carlin, who nows lives in Bradford on Avon.

Having failed to make the qualification time in the 200m and 800m freestyle, the pressure was on in her final event, the 400m freestyle, but a combination of watching movies and remembering why she got into the sport to begin with helped to secure her place on the plane to Rio.

“For me, it has been a bit of a journey,” said Carlin, who helped to strike an official Team GB commemorative 50p coin at the Royal Mint yesterday.

“At the time, my confidence was so low and I was a bit broken, but to come back and have that confidence built up again and actually starting to believe in myself that I can do it and I can go to an Olympic Games.

“It’s not been the easiest journey. It is sport, you never have any certainties and it is how you bounce back from them, you have always got to pick yourself back up.

“When I was racing, I felt nervous, tense, sick and I have never felt that before a race, I am normally just doing it for fun and just for enjoyment because I love that racing atmosphere.

“I think what the past four years has taught me is to never give up.

“Even if you have had a bad swim or a bad race, it doesn’t mean you are a bad swimmer, it just means you didn’t perform at your best on the day.

“I knew I could always do it and I knew I hadn’t disappeared over night and I hadn’t turned into a nobody.

“It was just about making sure I got myself together, stayed relaxed and just enjoyed what I did and enjoy the atmosphere and everything around it.

“I did put that pressure on myself last week and it did get to me but to finally, in that last swim, come away with the qualifying time and relax and enjoy the swim definitely made me swim a lot faster.”

Carlin had her family and friends to thank for getting her back into the pool after the disappointment of four years ago and is now hoping to repay the faith they showed in her.

“I had three months out of the water and it doesn’t sound like it will be that bad but you get into the pool and you literally feel like jelly and feel like you’re sinking to the bottom of the floor,” she added.

“That was pretty tough and I had to keep myself mentally going and keep myself pushing on even when it felt like I was drowning.

“I am glad I got back in now.

“My friends and family just want the best for me and everyone around me knew I could still do it.

“I was the only person who could dive back in that pool, do the early mornings, I was the only one who could put my body through that again.

“It is amazing to have their support and they have been with me through the hard times and it is amazing they can celebrate the good times with me now.”