After the excitement in Shanghai earlier in the week, when several of Britain’s women swimmers made it into the finals of their events, it was 19-year old Ellen Gandy who claimed a medal, winning silver for her performance in the 200m butterfly, and only narrowly missing out on gold.
Having overhauled Olympic champion Liu Zige in the final length, she was edged out at the wall by China’s Jiao Liuyang by four hundredths of a second.
"I was really, really nervous just because I knew I had it in me. I needed to get it out and just keep my nerves down. I'm just so happy.
“I was strangely calm and nervous at the same time because I knew what I needed to do and I'd rehearsed it so many times.
“I just needed to get in and do it and I feel a lot better as soon as I dive in, that's when all the nerves go." Gandy said after the race.
After a difficult experience in Rome at the last World Championships, when she saw her rankings tumble, the Melbourne-born teenager has fought back and claimed three Commonwealth medals last year. A lot of the improvement is attributed to her coach Rohan Taylor.
"I don't think there is a magic formula. I think I've grown up as a swimmer and as a person. I'm really close to my coach and I completely trust him with the programme." Gandy said.
Despite the excitement over Gandy’s silver medal, there was also huge disappointment for Great Britain in the first event of the night when Fran Halsall failed to claim a medal in the 100m freestyle.
The 21-year-old was the fastest qualifier into the final after swimming the best time in the world in the semi-finals. However, in the final, the Loughborough ITC swimmer did not produce her customary attack from the start and could only finish joint fourth with Femke Heemskerk in 53.72 seconds.
"I'm disappointed. It's only to be expected really. I thought I had more in me from last night but after the first 50 I felt really groggy coming back so it just wasn't there.
“I can't change the result now, I've just got to take it as motivation for next year." Halsall said.
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