Cashmore wants revenge in Rio for European disappointment

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

CLAIRE Cashmore insists she will have only one thing on her mind at the inaugural World Short Course Swimming Championships in Brazil later this month - and that's revenge.

EYEING REVENGE: Claire Cashmore wants revenge in Rio for European Championship disappointment (Getty Images)

The 21-year-old travels to Rio de Janeiro - home of the 2016 Paralympics - still holding a grudge after failing to individually top the podium at the European Long Course Championships last month.

Cashmore scooped double bronze in the 50m freestyle and the 100m breaststroke in Iceland.  However, she was overshadowed by fellow Brit Louise Watkin and Russian Olesya Vladykina as they claimed gold ahead of her.

But the Kidderminster flyer - who picked up her third Paralympic bronze medal in Beijing last summer - has vowed to restore the balance in South America and ensure that she is the one topping the podium.

"I wasn't that pleased with how I swam at the European Championships because I really thought I could have got a silver medal, especially in the breaststroke," said Cashmore - who also claimed 4x100m freestyle relay gold.

"Looking at the times I swam in Iceland, if I had swum a personal best then I would have been getting silver.  Therefore, even though I was on the podium, I was disappointed because I thought I could have done more.

"But it's great to have another event to swim against the best swimmers in the world and to try and push myself and keep improving.  I think that is what I need to help me to keep improving.

"We have had quite a lot of events in the last few months but I am definitely fit enough to cope and I am feeling good about my chances."

Cashmore and the rest of her British team-mates will step into the unknown in Brazil, with the World Championships set to be swam over 25 metres instead of 50 for the first time.

However, Cashmore - who helped guide Britain to 94 medals, including 39 gold, at the European Championships - believes a change in distance will be a help and not a hindrance as the countdown to London 2012 continues.

"I always like short course championships and we do a lot of training over the distance.  So, even though London 2012 will be long course, it'll be nice to do it," she added.

"I have never been to a short course major championship myself either so it's going to be new to me and I'm looking forward to it.

"Events like the Europeans and the Worlds are great because it gives me the chance to keep pushing myself and competing against the best in the world.

"Every championship is a stepping stone to London for me and after getting some medals in Iceland it would be really nice to follow that up with more in Rio."