Freya Anderson and Max Litchfield wrap up Swimming World Championships in Korea
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 28/07/19 10:58pm
GB swimmers Max Litchfield and Freya Anderson produced gutsy shows on the last day of the World Championships but it wasn't enough to make the podium.
It was eight days of mixed emotions for the Sky Sports Scholars in Gwangju with teenager Anderson winning bronze in the 100m mixed medley earlier in the week alongside GB team-mate and triple world champion Adam Peaty.
There was a disappointment for Sheffield swimmer Litchfield though who eased into Sunday's 400m IM final, only to finish seventh after a desperate battle down the final straight in pursuit of a medal.
The 24-year-old said: "I attacked it as that was the only way I was going to do anything, but I don't really know what to say. It's just disappointing.
"I've worked hard this year and I've had a great training year and that's not good enough for me, nowhere near.
"We'll have to look back at the race and see what we need to change and what we need to work on, but I've had a great year and it's tough to not see the results I should be getting.
"But you make mistakes and you learn, so we'll come back better."
USA topped the medal table with 13 golds in South Korea, while GB were seventh with three golds and seven medals in total.
The Championships started in stunning style for Anderson, who had the added pressure of swimming the anchor leg in the 100m mixed medley final.
With Peaty, James Guy and Georgia Davies already gone, the 18-year-old stepped on the gas on the way back to overhaul the Russians in the last few strokes to snatch bronze by a tenth of a second.
Anderson said: "I wanted to step up and I knew the arena and the crowd would help that.
"Knowing that I was going to get mowed down by a few men, there was definitely pressure. But with that comes a bit more fight!
"I was pleased with bronze obviously but would have loved to have been a bit faster! The mixed medley is such a fun race to watch and be in so it's looking good for Tokyo.
"I suppose it's not bad to be eighth in the world at the age of 18!"
Anderson can also look back fondly on the 200m freestyle where she swam back-to-back lifetime bests but still missed out on a place in the final.
And in the very last event of the Championships on Sunday, the Ellesmere Titan impressed again and swam alongside Georgia Davies, Molly Renshaw, Alys Thomas to finish seventh in the 100m medley relay.
