Tuesday 28 August 2018 08:54, UK
A bronze. Pipped to gold in a thrilling 400m IM final. And hitting the headlines again after a career-threatening injury.
It's been a whirlwind few weeks for swimmer Max Litchfield who came away from the European Championships in Glasgow with two medals (200m IM bronze and 400m IM silver) and new belief.
The 23-year-old Sky Sports Scholar from Sheffield reflects on pre-race nerves, the agony and ecstasy of competing in a final, 'dropping the hammer' and why he's charged up for Tokyo in two years....
Having had some downtime after the Euros, how do you reflect on Glasgow now?
I feel very confident with where we are with two years to go until Tokyo. We've had a lot of positives in a largely negative year with many points to work on moving forward.
Best moment?
It would have to be the race with Hungarian David Verraszto in the 400 IM.
Did you have any nervy moments?
I always get quite nervous before my race but this is something I have learnt to deal with and I try to turn it into a positive.
Did you ever doubt you'd race in major competitions again over the last 12 months?
No. There were times that were hard when we weren't seeing progress.
But I knew if I stuck at my rehab and things I needed to do to fix my shoulder then I knew I'd be back on the big stage again.
What are your memories of both finals?
Not much really! I always say that the races I swim best in are the ones I remember the least. But I definitely remember the crowd on the last half of the 400IM. They were awesome!
Describe your thoughts in last 50 metres of your 400m final
I knew David and I were close but I just did what I would always do at the end of a 400IM - hold my technique and efficiency through the water and just drop the hammer!
You said you were gutted and elated - could you have done anything else to push for gold?
I was gutted because of how close the race was - and the close margin of loss. I was elated though because it had been a great finish to a great week after a year full of injury.
What did you do on the Thursday night after that final?
We had a team meal and debrief back at the hotel, enjoyed a few drinks with the team too to finish off the season.
How will you relax now?
I am going on holiday to Dubai and the Isle of Man with my girlfriend and her family, resting and recovering before starting back next year.
Describe your feelings on the next two years. Anything you need to focus on?
I'm very excited for the next few years. I'm in a good place now and set a good platform for us to build upon.
There are a few little things we will go away and tweak in the build-up to Toyko 2020. The little things make the big difference!
