Rising Star Tutton Bags First Major Medal With European Championships Bronze

Chloe Tutton powered to a stunning bronze medal in her first major championships at the Europeans in London.

The Pontypridd-born sensation did not even know she was going to the Olympic Games just a few weeks ago.

But Tutton, 19, showed she is a star of the future as she shattered her personal best to take bronze in the 100m breaststroke.

The Cardiff-based ace said: “That race was amazing. I’m just over the moon.

“That was incredible. I did a best time and to have landed a bronze was more than I could ever have dreamed of today.

“I’m delighted with what I’ve done. I’m training through it. It’s a bit tough.

“I’m just hoping to get better on the big stage, always aiming to do better. Fingers crossed and hopefully I’ll pull through.

“I’m unrested, so I just want to be as fast as I can.”

Tutton clocked 1:07.50 to slice one-tenth-of-a-second off her previous best as she is still in heavy training preparing for Rio.

Lithuania’s Plymouth-based Olympic champ Ruta Meilutyte took gold in 1:06.17 with Iceland’s Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir second in 1:06.45.

And Tutton still has the 200m breaststroke event to come in the 2012 Olympic pool this week – the event where she smashed the British record in Glasgow last month.

She added: “It’s probably my second best event after the 200 so I’m looking forward to tomorrow, to finally get my main event out of the way.

“Hopefully I’ll get close to my best time in the 200m. You can’t predict what you’re going to do.”

Swansea’s Georgia Davies, the 2014 European bronze medallist, qualified for Thursday’s 100m backstroke final after finishing second in her semi in 1:00.53