Calum Jarvis: Olympic champion to retire after this summer's Commonwealth Games
- Published
Calum Jarvis celebrates his Olympic gold in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay.
Calum Jarvis, part of Great Britain's Olympic gold medal-winning men's 4x200m freestyle relay squad, says this summer will be his last as an elite swimmer.
The 29-year-old Welshman earned a gold in Tokyo for his swim in the heats.
Now the two-time world champion has told BBC Sport Wales he is "ready to move on with his life" after this summer's Commonwealth Games.
"I joined this National Centre [in Bath] back in 2010, so I've been here a very long time," said Jarvis.
"I'm kind of excited to move on with my life, really. Hopefully still giving back to the sport in finding a job somewhere.
"But the dream is to be able to finish my swimming career at the 'friendly games', as they're known, and just enjoy it."
A 'dream come true'
Jarvis has been to two Commonwealth Games for Wales so far - winning bronze on his debut in the men's 200m freestyle at Glasgow 2014.
He went on to win two relay golds at World Championships and two European golds before his crowning moment in Tokyo last summer.
"Looking back it's just like a dream come true, really," he continued. "It doesn't get much better.
Jarvis has won relay golds at the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships.
"To finally have gone to the Olympic Games and to achieve a gold medal performance was unbelievable.
"That's been the goal for that relay since 2015 - to go in dominate - and we have done."
After the Games, Jarvis and wife Jemma went on their Covid-delayed honeymoon.
But he soon returned to training in Bath, always keen for one more year in the sport.
"Looking back at people who have said 'right this is my final year, the Olympic year' they put so much pressure on that one swim," Jarvis said.
"I approached last year like I'm going to go to the Olympics and do my absolute best and I'm going to carry on for another year.
"I'm quite glad that I have done it like that because it allowed me to focus on my swimming, focus on what I needed to do at the Olympics. Otherwise I do think it would have played on the back of my mind and the emotions would've got out a bit more.
Jarvis (r) broke the Welsh men's 200m freestyle record on his way to Commonwealth Games bronze at Glasgow 2014.
"My first international was Commonwealth Games in 2014 and to be able to drop out at the Birmingham Games in 2022 would be the way I'd like to go.
"[A medal] would be a brilliant way to end it. It's not looking good for the individual but I think our [4x200m freestyle] relay is looking quite strong and I think that's something to really excited about."
This week Jarvis is racing at the British Championships in Sheffield, with World Championship places at stake.
But the Welshman is simply focused on enjoying his final few weeks in the sport that has brought him more than a decade of success.
