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“It’s been a once in a lifetime experience and I’ll never get it again. I’ve loved every second of this.<\/p>\n
“It’s been challenging at times, especially when you’ve had success earlier in the week. You want to celebrate and shout – shout to the rooftop – but you need to keep all that emotion pretty calm.<\/p>\n
“Overall, it’s been very special. I’ve loved the Games. The crowd at La Defense Arena speaks for itself. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before and I don’t think I ever will experience again.”<\/p>\n
He may be right. Noise levels were off the charts as Clegg barn-stormed to this victory. <\/p>\n
He used that crowd to his advantage. Up against the 17-year-old Frenchman, Kylian Portal, who was given a deafening welcome seconds before the Scot emerged.<\/p>\n
Rather than shrink, the 28 year-old simply lapped it up, waving his arms as though the cheers were for him. They weren’t. He knew that but he didn\u2019t care. <\/p>\n
It was an incredible atmosphere and setting for this biggest of moments.<\/p>\n
The fine margin of winning and losing in this sport painfully played out as Portal walked past Clegg in the interview area, inconsolable and weeping, as he missed a bronze by just 0:04 of a second.<\/p>\n
As the enormity of it all began seeping in, Clegg, somehow, had the presence of mind to put all of this into some meaningful context. <\/p>\n
His sister, Libby, is a Paralympic great, someone he holds in the highest regard. Someone he wants to emulate, but not just with medals.<\/p>\n
“I look at my sister in very high esteem, not because of what she’s achieved in medal tally,” he explained. “She\u2019s still leaps and bounds ahead me.<\/p>\n
“She\u2019s inspired a lot of people and I think greatness isn’t just about what you do in your competition venues, it’s about how you impact others.<\/p>\n
“If I want to get to that level and consider myself to have a legacy or success on a real meaningful level in sport, that’s what I need to look at for the future. Golds will come and go.<\/p>\n
“The impact you can have on future generations is what really stands for itself and the impact you can have on sport.<\/p>\n
“I think that’s what great greatness in sport is really about. It’s not just about medals. That’s what I want to try and explore and see if I can match that in any way and any level.”<\/p>\n
He’ll do well to match this achievement and experience. The most memorable of gold medals for Stephen Clegg as these Paralympic Games edge towards their conclusion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n