PROUD EYES THAT MEDAL

OLYMPIC TITLE IS ALL THAT IS MISSING FOR PLYMOUTH SWIMMER

- PAUL EDDISON

WHEN Ben Proud thinks back to his Tokyo experience, the overwhelming question is how he even made it onto the blocks.

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the preparations of all elite sportspeople, but swimming star Proud was among those who suffered the most.

Having been based in Turkey since 2017, Proud was forced to return to the UK and train in Bath away from his training base.

Displaced for those crucial final months, his performance inevitably suffered, with a fifth-place finish in the 50m freestyle leading him to question his future in the sport.

Now back in Turkey, Proud has rediscovered his love for swimming and will head to his third Olympics in Paris this summer, looking to add the final medal missing from his collection.

He said: "I was in good hands during the Covid situation, but there was so much that was taken away in terms of my resources, my training base, and the time we could spend training. I look back at that period and think how the hell did I get up and race? It was such a tough year.

"Coming back off the back of that I had to learn a whole load and develop myself again. I had to decide if I was going to continue swimming, I was brought to that point. Right now, I just feel much better, clear headed, I know what to expect and I know how to perform. It's a matter of getting there and racing."