Hannah Miley won Great Britain’s first medal of the World Short-Course Championships as she took bronze in the 400m Individual Medley at the Hamad Aquatic Centre in Doha.
The Inverurie swimmer took gold in the event two years ago in Istanbul and won the Commonwealth title in Glasgow this summer, but could not compete with Spain’s Mireia Belmonte. swimmer went in as defending champion in the event but it was Mireia Belmonte of Spain who not only took the title but also set a new world record ahead of pre-race favourite Katinka Hosszu.
Sixth after the opening Butterfly leg, Miley produced her customary march through the field and was third at the halfway point, a position she never relinquished.
Beaming after the race, Miley said: “I am really pleased. The target was to try and come away with a medal so to come away with a bronze, I am really chuffed with it.
“Last season my short course wasn’t the best but then it worked out pretty well for me in the long course so I didn’t know what to expect from this short-course season.
“I came into it with no real expectations: I know I was going in defending my title but I knew that would be a very tough ask.
“I am obviously delighted for how Mireia and Katinka swam – it was a great race to be part of and I am really happy that I’ve come away faster than what I did last season.
“Obviously it was not my fastest swim – I did that two years ago – but hopefully it is a step in the right direction for me to progress further in my long-course season next year because that is the main aim.”