Molly Renshaw claimed silver in the women’s 200m breaststroke on day five of the European Championships in Berlin during an afternoon session which also saw Adam Peaty continue his fine form with a world record.
Renshaw, bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games, had only qualified fifth fastest for Friday’s final.
But the 18-year-old swam an excellent final 50m to pull herself into contention and set a new British record of 2:32.82 minutes.
That time was over a second faster than her previous personal best and smashed a British record which had stood for the past eight years.
Gold went to Denmark’s Rikke Möller Pedersen with Renshaw admitting her performance had left her pleasantly surprised.
“A medal was not on my mind, so I’m surprised that I was able to make it on the last few meters and I was able to better my personal best after this busy season,” she said.
There were further British headlines in the pool on Friday as Adam Peaty, fresh from setting a new championship record in the morning’s 50m breaststroke heats, set the first individual world record of the meet.
The 19-year-old, who has already won two golds in Berlin, touched in 26.62 seconds to lower Cameron Van der Burgh’s 2009 World record – although he warned he could go faster still in Saturday’s final.
“I didn’t expect this result even if I was close to the world record at the Commonwealth Games,” said Peaty, who won two golds and a silver in Glasgow last month.
“It was not a perfect race due to my final touch, so I can still improve.”
Elsewhere Stephen Milne just missed out on a medal in the final of the men’s 800m freestyle when he finished fourth, although his time of 7:50.64 minutes was a new Scottish record.
Jemma Lowe finished sixth in the final of the women’s 100m butterfly while Adam Barrett swam a 51.80-second personal best to win his men’s 100m butterfly semi-final.
Also progressing to Saturday’s finals are Georgia Davies and Fran Halsall who completed a one-two in the first women’s 50m backstroke semi-final.
But Shauna Lee was unable to do the same in the women’s 200m freestyle, finishing sixth in her semi-final.
© Sportsbeat 2014