Clegg added: “My coach mentioned one thing a bit foolish earlier, which was that [footballer] Lionel Messi solely reveals up for the World Cup, and he meant that my expertise permits me to step up for these large moments when all season I have been swimming a bit crap.
“He’ll hopefully agree that I’ve executed that tonight.”
And the way. Clegg attacked the second 50m of the race with relish and pulled away from his rivals to submit a time of 24.73 seconds, half a second faster than he has gone all 12 months.
It additionally upgraded the silver he received in Birmingham over the gap – achieved when he was not solely 4 years youthful, however in a lot better form bodily.
All that was enjoying via his thoughts as he stood on the rostrum, lip trembling and attempting laborious to maintain his form, as Flower of Scotland performed.
“I used to be actually struggling to maintain it collectively,” mentioned Clegg, who had missed his sister’s wedding ceremony amid the preparations for these Video games. “As soon as the anthem began enjoying, I simply began shaking and began to tear up just a little bit.
“I am a really emotional particular person, however I do not actually allow them to out fairly often. And for me to indicate that emotion sort of, I feel, speaks louder than phrases for me.
“Each time I attempted to articulate it, I’ve fallen quick of the particular feeling. It is a once-in-a-lifetime expertise, and I feel nothing in my profession can actually beat that second. Even profitable gold at Paris.”
