Swansea University has awarded an honorary degree to gold medallist swimmer Jazz Carlin.

Jazz Carlin was presented with the honorary award today (27 July) during the degree ceremony for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. 

Jazz spent eight years training at the Wales National Pool, Swansea, during which time she represented Swansea University, before making the move to University of Bath leading up to the Rio Olympics and competing primarily in endurance freestyle events.

Her first appearance to represent Wales came at just 15 years old at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia 2006.  She went on to represent Wales in Delhi 2010, Glasgow 2014 and at the Gold Coast Australia 2018 where she had the honour of being flag bearer.

Jazz has won many medals for Wales and in 2010 became the first Welsh Female Swimmer to win two medals (Silver, Bronze) at a Commonwealth Games.  At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she won a Gold Medal in the 800m Freestyle event and a Silver Medal in the 400m event, she became the first Welsh Female Swimmer to win a Commonwealth Title since Pat Beavan at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

In February 2019 Jazz announced her retirement from competitive swimming, at the age of 28.Outside of competition, Jazz Carlin has moved on to be a business coach and mentor to the Swim Wales Programme.

On receiving her honorary award, Jazz Carlin said: “It is such an honour to receive this award.  I have such fond memories of my time spent in Swansea and training at the Wales National Pool, which I could not have done without the support over the years from the University. It is a great environment to be a part of.”