Stephen Clegg secured a gold medal in the 50m freestyle S13 final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, an achievement he stated surpassed the joy of his two Paralympic gold medals won in Paris two years prior. The 30-year-old swimmer, competing in the visually-impaired category, touched the wall first, with his older brother James finishing fifth in the same race.
The siblings' participation in the Commonwealth Games necessitated their absence from the wedding of their older sister, Libby Clegg, a former Paralympic and world sprint champion. The wedding took place the weekend before the swimming final.
Clegg's parents were present at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre to witness his victory. This gold medal marks an improvement on the silver he won in the same event four years ago in Birmingham. He described the win as "special beyond words" and admitted to struggling to contain his emotions on the podium, shedding tears.
"The only other experience I can compare it with is when I won gold in Paris but, honestly, I think this is a more special moment for me," Clegg said. He credited the home crowd, his teammates, family, and girlfriend for enabling him to perform beyond his expectations. "This is not just my gold medal, it’s theirs as well. I’m nothing without my team," he added.
Regarding missing his sister's wedding, Clegg noted that Libby had a signature ceremony earlier in the month, allowing him to attend a more intimate part of the celebration. He confirmed he was present for this ceremony before his pre-Games training camp.
James Clegg, who returned to competitive swimming last year after a hiatus since 2013, expressed satisfaction with his performance and the decision to compete. "It was definitely worth missing Libby’s wedding for — I had to do this," he stated, indicating his intention to continue swimming. He also conveyed happiness for his brother's success.