Gemma Spofforth to finally draw a line under Olympics in Rome

From Ryan Bangs, Sportsbeat, in Rome

 GEMMA Spofforth missed out on Olympic bronze by the width of a finger nail last summer - now she has vowed to banish that memory once and for all at the World Championships in Rome.

TIME TO DELIVER: Gemma Spofforth plans to finally lay her Olympic ghosts to rest at World Championships

The 21-year-old suffered heartache in the 100m backstroke final in the Water Cube finishing fourth - four-hundredths-of-a-second behind American Margaret Hoelzer.

However, what doesn't break you makes you stronger and that has certainly been the case for Spofforth, who booked her place on the plane to the Eternal City in emphatic style at the British Gas Scottish National Championships.

The Portsmouth Northsea flyer came in for criticism in March after opting to remain at her American training base in Florida instead of going to the British Gas National Championships - the first trial event.

But Spofforth proved the doubters wrong last month claiming the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke titles in Glasgow and admitted she now has just one more score to settle.

"Missing out on a medal in Beijing will always be one of those ‘what if' moments for me. But looking back if I had won a medal I would not be as motivated as I am now," said Spofforth.

"When I came back from Beijing I knew I needed time off so I took a two-week break. And when I got back in the water in America I used the pain in a good way.

"I think it has given me the hunger I need to go to the worlds and beyond. If I had won a medal, then maybe I would be showing it off everywhere as opposed to training in the pool.

"In the long run London 2012 was and is always where I want to be - so in hindsight anything that happened in 2008 was just a bonus along the way."
Spofforth's Scottish exploits were all the more impressive as she set new British records in both the 50m and 200m and swam the second fastest time in the world this year in the 100m.

The Shoreham-born ace made her World Championship bow four years ago in Montreal finishing 33rd in the 100m backstroke as a fresh faced 17-year-old.

But Spofforth still believes she is the youngster in the pack in Rome and insists she is under no pressure to perform in the Italian capital.

"I don't have any hard or set goals for the worlds - honestly - I just want to enjoy it," she added. "If I am enjoying my swimming then I will probably be swimming fast times and we will see what comes of that.

"I think mentally I am a lot better prepared than this time last year but maybe I am not in the same shape physically as last year.

"Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin, who won gold in the 100m backstroke, has got married so she won't be there and I am also aware that it won't be like a re-run of Beijing. I was the youngest in that final and I know my time will come."

 British Gas and British Swimming. The nation's leading energy supplier, British Gas, is the Principal Partner of British Swimming, supporting the sport at all levels: 'From paddling pool to podium'. For more information visit www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming