00:00Well, I think obviously we've got added interest in diving as being a part of Aquatics GB.
00:06I really enjoy watching athletics, which obviously didn't start until maybe the three days left
00:12of the swimming, or four days left of the swimming.
00:16I think they just put on a real show there, so many tight races, things like that, and
00:21being able to watch quite a few Team GB hopefuls in that as well was pretty cool.
00:26You mentioned Liam Marshall in there, what was it like coming up against him, and is
00:30he the best you've come up against, would you say, in your time?
00:38It's difficult, obviously I go into every race believing I've got an opportunity to
00:43win, no matter who I'm against, I think that's the beauty of sport, is anything can happen.
00:50As much as that, I've got to respect and put my hands up and be like, he was 0.06 off the
00:56world record in the 200 IM, at the end of what's been an unbelievable week of swimming
01:02for him.
01:03He's definitely up there for one of the best athletes that I've competed against, but at
01:07the same time, I'm going to have to compete against him for a wee while longer, so I need
01:12to go back to the drawing board about where does he take the most away from me, at what
01:16point is he a lot better than me, and I need to go back and work on that, and see how much
01:22I can close the gap, and if I can close it a little bit, then I guess you never know.
01:29The way you're speaking, it sounds like you've got no retirement plans, and you're all
01:36concentrating on LA, and four years time, is that very much part of the plan?
01:39Yeah, I mean I've swam almost better than I've ever swam, and I live in races across
01:47eight days, well I swam for eight of the nine days, and I think the quality that I showed
01:54throughout it was one of the best, and the emotional, physical fatigue of an Olympic
01:59Games, you go in with those questions, am I still at that level, can I still compete
02:03at that level and maintain it, and I finish the week and I'm like, yeah look, that's a
02:08great week of swimming for me, being able to anchor some great relays, individually
02:13swim pretty well as well, so I'm really happy with the way it's gone, but as you say, I
02:19finish it being like, oh right, there's still plenty more in this sport that I want to try
02:23and achieve.
02:24Yeah, technically obviously the same bracket, I know it makes you slightly uncomfortable,
02:27but the same bracket as Chris Hoy now, has he been in touch at all since you tied it
02:32up?
02:33What is it, number of medals, automatically got each other's number, he sent me a lovely
02:40message, he sent me a lovely message, and I got back to him, and he's always really supportive
02:47of whatever I'm doing, and as I've said many times before, he's someone that inspired me
02:54a lot when I was growing up, and watching him compete at the highest stage, and I guess
02:58dominate as well on the world stage, and at Olympic Games, and always showing up when
03:03it matters, so yeah, what a real honour to be putting, as you say, the same sentences
03:09as him.
03:11You're a very modest guy, but you're up there now with these people, you're level with
03:17Bradley Wiggins in terms of medals, potentially in the next Olympics, you could go clear as
03:22the most medals by any British Olympian, is that in your thoughts, or are your goals different
03:28to that?
03:31Well I think I've got to probably look at what's going to get me there rather than the
03:35outcome, I think when you start focusing on the outcome, I think that's really when
03:40mentally it can be quite difficult to how you're going to get there, outcome focused
03:46things are obviously quite short term goals, so there's plenty more in the sport that I
03:50want to try and achieve with that, so if I can just keep working on how I'm going to
03:54get better, if I can keep continually improving, that'll put me in the best place possible
04:00come LA, and I think that's probably the important position for me to be in.
04:04Yeah.
04:06So you were visiting your grandad the other day with your gold stunkin' towel, what kind
04:09of special moment was that for you?
04:11I really didn't expect that to go as much as, my gran the other day said it was in the
04:16paper or something, but yeah, well so basically the wedding was pretty far north, on my way
04:23down, seeing them, and look it's just anyone that's been a part of my journey and helped
04:28me out in whatever way possible, whether it's sitting at the edge of a poolside waiting
04:36for me to compete, or taking me between different training sessions when I was younger, or whatever
04:41it might be, I've been so fortunate that so many people have helped me, and they're part
04:46of what is a massive pie, and I'm so grateful for what they've done, and many others as
04:53well, it would take me forever to go around and thank them all, but I think it's a really
04:57special moment for them to be able to be worth an Olympic gold medal, and kind of
05:02cherish that as well, so that was really special.
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