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Jackson: New British record.
"I was so glad when I woke up and it was pouring with rain, although I wouldn't have minded hot conditions as I may have been able to pick a few more off."
Johanna Jackson
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Johanna Jackson battled through the torrential rain in Beijing to come 22nd in the 20km walk in a new British record.
The 23-year-old from Middlesbrough set an impressive time of one hour 31 minutes 33 seconds in testing conditions and finished just over five minutes behind winner Olga Kaniskina of Russia.
Kjersti Tysse Platzer of Norway took silver with Italy's Elisa Rigaudo collecting bronze.
After the race Jackson admitted she wasn't fazed by the bad weather and believes the experience will make her stronger for London 2012.
She said: "I was so glad when I woke up and it was pouring with rain, although I wouldn't have minded hot conditions as I may have been able to pick a few more off.
"I've got a lot more to go in my training and have a long way to go and hopefully I can challenge in four years' time.
"I wasn't thinking about the time, I was thinking about position but after I got my second card (a third would have meant disqualification) I thought 'Do I keep pushing for the British record?"'
Irish star
Ireland's Olive Loughnane finished a creditable seventh in a new personal best of 1:27.45.
She said: "If you had told me last night I'd have done 87:45 I would have said I had to make the medals. Of course I'm a bit disappointed to be 33 seconds away from the medals, but when I saw the pace and how quickly it was going I knew it was too fast.
"I did amazingly well and couldn't have done any more. I was prepared for it to be hot today but I smiled when I saw the weather."
