UAE-born and trained swimmer Velimir Stjepanovic will have no time to celebrate his gold medal from the European Short Course Championships as the Serb prepares to take part in the prestigious Duel in the Pool meet in Glasgow.

The 20-year-old Serb has been selected to represent the European All-stars team that will take on the USA in the December 20-21 meet and he’s looking to keep the momentum going after being crowned European champion for the first time in Denmark earlier this week.

“It’s an honour to be chosen to represent Europe and I’ll give my all in my events,” Stjepanovic told Sport360°.

The Duel in the Pool will feature some of the world’s best swimmers, including American 200m backstroke Olympic champion Tyler Clarey, and Olympic and world champion and world record holder Katie Ledecky, who will lead the charge against Europe’s finest – a team that features the likes of 200m freestyle Olympic and world champion Yannick Agnel and Olympic champion sprinter Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

Fresh from his successful stint in Denmark, Stjepanovic says his gold in the 200m butterfly, and bronze in the 400m freestyle, will help push him forward to greater things in 2014.

“European Champion certainly has a nice ring to it,” said the UAE resident. “It was awesome hearing my national anthem played at such a big competition. It definitely puts me in a good position mentally and motivates me a lot to work hard for the European Long course Championships in eight months in Berlin.

“I feel if I train really well these next eight months, I’ll definitely be in a good position to PB on my events and make finals. As I always say, after that, anything can happen.”

The young Serb also just missed out on a third medal, placing fifth in the 200m freestyle, with two swimmers tied third just ahead of him.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I got to Denmark,” he added. “I only started going to the gym again four months ago and training properly after a hard year with a back injury, so I just wanted to race and see.

“Once the heats were over for the 400m I realised that I was in a very good place to get PBs, however a bronze and a gold were much more than I expected.

“I think I swam all my races really well, personal bests on all of them as well as all three being new national records for Serbia. It shows I’ve improved and bounced back from my back injury last year.”