\n<\/p>\n
Clegg added: “My coach said something a bit silly earlier, which was that [footballer] Lionel Messi only shows up for the World Cup, and he meant that my experience allows me to step up for these big moments when all season I’ve been swimming a bit crap.<\/p>\n
“He will hopefully agree that I’ve done that tonight.”<\/p>\n
And how. Clegg attacked the second 50m of the race with relish and pulled away from his rivals to post a time of 24.73 seconds, half a second quicker than he has gone all year.<\/p>\n
It also upgraded the silver he won in Birmingham over the distance – achieved when he was not only four years younger, but in much better shape physically.<\/p>\n
All that was playing through his mind as he stood on the podium, lip trembling and trying hard to keep his shape, as Flower of Scotland played.<\/p>\n
“I was really struggling to keep it together,” said Clegg, who had missed his sister’s wedding amid the preparations for these Games. “Once the anthem started playing, I just started shaking and started to tear up a little bit. <\/p>\n
“I’m a very emotional person, but I don’t really let them out very often. And for me to show that emotion kind of, I think, speaks louder than words for me.<\/p>\n
“Every time I tried to articulate it, I’ve fallen short of the actual feeling. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I think nothing in my career can really beat that moment. Even winning gold at Paris.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n