Gandy storms to silver

Silver service: Gandy came on strong in second half of 200m butterfly

Ellen Gandy revealed she had to conquer her nerves before powering to a silver medal in the women's 200 metres butterfly at the World Championships in Shanghai.

Fellow Briton Jemma Lowe had been quickest into the final but she finished seventh as Gandy claimed the team's third medal of the championships, following Keri-Anne Payne's open water title and Rebecca Adlington's silver in the 400m freestyle.

Bromley-born Gandy, who moved to Melbourne with her family three years ago, was third at the last turn before a strong final length saw her overhaul Olympic champion Liu Zige.

Gold appeared a strong possibility for the 19-year-old only for China's Jiao Liuyang to edge her out by four hundredths of a second.

Gandy, fifth in the 100m butterfly earlier this week, finished in two minutes 05.59 seconds, 0.39 ahead of Liu.

"I was really, really nervous just because I knew I had it in me," she said.

"I needed to get it out and just keep my nerves down. I'm just so happy."

Grown up

The Rohan Taylor-trained teenager added: "I was strangely calm and nervous at the same time because I knew what I needed to do and I'd rehearsed it so many times.

"I just needed to get in and do it and I feel a lot better as soon as I dive in, that's when all the nerves go."

Gandy has steadily improved since the last World Championships, when she admittedly "fell apart" after heading into Rome at the top of the rankings.

Last year saw the former Beckenham swimmer claim three Commonwealth medals as well as European bronze over four lengths.

Gandy is blossoming in Australia and puts her improvement down to growing up as well as faith in Taylor.

"I don't think there is a magic formula," she added. "I think I've grown up as a swimmer and as a person.

"I'm really close to my coach and I completely trust him with the programme."

Hot Halsall

Elsewhere, Britain's women took sixth in 4x200m freestyle in 7:53.51, with the United States clear winners.

And Friday night augurs well for the British team, with Fran Halsall quickest into the 100m freestyle final, while there will be two representatives in the men's 200m breaststroke final in the form of Andrew Willis and Michael Jamieson.

Halsall fired off an impressive 53.48, the fastest 100m freestyle this year, to book top spot, while Willis and Jamieson qualified fifth and sixth respectively.