Jazz Misses Out On Gold As Chloe Targets Another Medal

Jazz Carlin’s hopes of defending her European 800m freestyle crown were dashed as she was forced to settle for silver in London.

The Swansea ace bagged Wales’ second medal of the championships after Chloe Tutton’s bronze in the 100m breaststroke.

But Commonwealth Games champ Carlin was favourite to retain the title she won in Berlin two years ago when she also struck gold in the 400m freestyle.

This time Carlin – who is in heavy training for the Rio Olympics – could not match the pace set by Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas.

Carlin was eight seconds outside her best as she clocked eight mins 23.52 secs with Kapas triumphing in 8:21.40.

The 25-year-old “I would have loved to win gold, but it was silver.

“It’s all about racing tough and seeing what you’re getting. But I have been training really hard and looking forward to racing in front of this home crowd.

“For me the Olympic trials wasn’t the best competition I’ve ever done. It was a bit up and down. I was feeling tense, nervous.

“It was a pretty hard competition for me. To come here, to enjoy it, see the crowd, it’s just amazing to be in the mix and to come away with silver.”

But Tutton will be looking to maintain her sensational form by adding a medal in Friday’s 200m breaststroke final after clocking the fastest time of the semis in her favourite event.

The 19-year-old Pontypridd product clocked 2:23.76 to win her heat in a time just outside the British record she set in Glasgow last month.

Tutton qualified quicker than reigning European champion and world record holder Rikke Pedersen of Denmark who won her semi in 2:24.10.

She said: “I am having a great season and surprise myself everytime I push off the boards.

“I would love another medal but I am not going to focus on that and just try to do my best.

“I was a bigt tired after the 100m as I struggled to get to sleep, but it was good to go faster in the semi-final.”

Swansea’s Georgia Davies was unable to add to her bronze from the 100m backstroke in Berlin two years ago as she finished fifth this time.

Davies clocked 59.99 secs as Denmark’s Mie Nelsen won gold in 58.73.