Monday 16 September 2019 12:25, UK
Britain's Tully Kearney completed a clean sweep of golds at the Para-Swimming World Championships in London this week.
One of British Swimming's success stories at this year's Championships, Kearney has surpassed even her own expectations to take the top spot on the podium in the S5 50m,100m and 200m Freestyle.
"It's pretty unreal to be fair, it's crazy that I've just done that. It's not as quick as I would have liked to have gone but I mean three out of three isn't bad is it?," she told Sky Sports.
"I've had a really tough season and I've not been able to train that much, there have been times this season where I almost pulled out and I didn't think I'd make it.
"So to get here and actually swim championship record times and personal bests, swim as well as I have done and actually win golds, I don't think anyone was expecting that from me after how much I've had to go through to get here so it's just absolutely amazing and really unexpected."
Already a four-time world champion before starting this year's event, there's really no surprise that the S5 swimmer has been on the top of the podium multiple times this week.
"After Glasgow 2015 I was Britain's highest medal earner for the whole of British Swimming including the able-bodied athletes as well, which was absolutely amazing when that happened," she said. "But I've had quite a rocky career since then."
Pushing through injuries during the 2015 season triggered her Dystonia, and a week before she was due to compete at the Paralympic Games in Rio she had to pull out leaving her "devastated".
She then had to take a year-and-a-half out of the pool and was uncertain as to whether she could make a return to the sport.
"I really struggled with my mental health," she admitted. "Not only did I have to deal with not having the routine of training I was just completely lost, I felt like a failure and I didn't know what to do with myself because I was no longer an athlete."
But encouragement from her mum convinced her to get back in the water and Kearney began working with a coach from one of her old clubs who "taught her a new way to swim"
"It took a lot of persuading because I was too scared," Kearney said. "Originally I thought it was better not to know than to try and fail."
Her return to elite-level racing came at the European Championships in 2018 but Kearney admits successful swims there which saw her claim a gold and bronze medal in the 100m and 50m respectively were in some way overshadowed by classification issues.
"I had a classification that went wrong and I got moved up the day before racing started and I didn't get put back down to my class until day five so I missed out on my 200m freestyle. I was really upset and there was a lot of emotional distress.
"It was just a really tough time and I didn't really enjoy it because of everything I had to go through."
Back enjoying her time in the pool now though and celebrating her recent success on home soil motivation to achieve more is stronger than ever in the British swimmer.
"I absolutely love racing, I've always been a racer," she said. "I am one of these weird people who love the pain of racing and the pain of pushing myself to my limits, they're the sort of thing I thrive off.
"Getting back to having a routine and having something to look forward to, to have swimming and be able to race has been absolutely amazing for me."
As Tokyo 2020 draws nearer the potential to be at the Paralympics will of course be on the agenda and if this week's performances are anything to go by it's clear to see there is definite podium potential there.
"What I've been able to do this week gives me confidence and if I can get a full seasons training in because if I can do this after not a lot of training I know there's more I can achieve in Tokyo " Kearney added.
"But on the other hand with that massive disappointment of having to withdraw from Rio a week before the Paralympics three years ago, I don't think I could go through that again so I'm going to have to balance expectation and hope. Hopefully all will go well and I'll be there next year."
