SSE Arena homecoming Olympic event really helped Northern Ireland sport - Jack McMillan
Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Jack McMillan said last night that he was excited to be present at such a large celebration at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
The Belfast man earned his gold by helping Team GB retain their Olympic 4x200m freestyle relay title. He raced in the heats, though he was not selected to swim in the final in Paris.
Asked if he was excited before the SSE Arena reception last night, he told the News Letter: “Yes, definitely.
“It is Northern Ireland's most successful Olympic Games, so I think this celebration really helps sport and just helps everyone engage and get involved in the Olympics.
“Because obviously it only comes once every four years, so to have a massive celebration for this is great and hopefully everyone has a great night.”
Speaking about how life has changed since the Olympics in Paris, he said: “It has been pretty crazy to be fair.
“Obviously it has been about two months now since the games ended.
“And it has been a nice celebration [since], especially here at the SSE Arena – I think tonight is going to be great.
“I just took a two-week break from training so I am just getting back into it slowly, but it has been a great few months.”
Asked about his future goals, he added: “I am just slowly getting back into it at the minute and taking this side of the year quite easy.
“Then we have world championships next year in Singapore and then the year after that the Commonwealth Games, that have just been announced for Glasgow."
In the longer term, he is hoping to compete again in the next Olympics in Los Angeles, he added.