Clogg in positive mood after achieving PB in Glasgow

Clogg, a pupil at Meden Academy and a member of City of Sheffield Swimming Squad, is in Glasgow this week for the 2016 British Swimming Championships, where he is looking to impress selectors ahead of the July’s European Junior Championships in Hungary.

On Wednesday night he finished second in the Target Tokyo final – an event designed to highlight potential stars for the 2020 Olympic Games – of the 100m backstroke, dipping under 56 seconds for the first time after posting 55.71, inside the consideration time for the Junior Europeans.

And he was back in the pool once again 24 hours later to contest the junior 100m freestyle final, where he clocked a personal best 51.05 to take the title – albeit outside the Junior European time.

The teenager revealed he had initially been struggling with his preparations for the Championships before managing to turn things around in time, admitting making sure he was sorted mentally was key.

“You have got to be mentally strong to beat people,” he said, “That mental side of things plays a real role in getting performances right and so you have to be strong.

“A couple of weeks ago I had a bit of a cough so I was getting into the state that I wasn’t going to be fine.

“But then I went on camp, had a bit of vitamin D and I was fine. So then I had more confidence coming into this meet. I was looking to PB.

“I managed to swim a personal best in the 100m backstroke and then again in the heats for the 100m freestyle so I knew I was in good shape.

“It feels good to have got a pb again, I wanted that 50 point but I have to be happy with my time.

“I got out there and felt good, but I could have gone out a bit faster, but who knows, I might not have had enough in the barrel if I’d started faster.”

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 here: www.euroaquatics2016.london.