Murphy wins bronze in 800m freestyle

Olympic, world and European medallist over both long and short course Federica Pellegrini won the 800m freestyle (8:15.20) with Ireland’s Grainne Murphy continuing what has been a highly successful transition season from junior competition.

The 17-year-old claimed bronze behind Pellegrini and Boglarka Kapas in 8:19.45 on day two of the European Short-Course Championships in Eindhoven.

This adds to her silver medal in the 1,500m freestyle at the European (50m) Championships in Budapest in August.

The Wexford swimmer was touched out by Pellegrini in the 800m in Hungary but finished ahead of double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington, although the British swimmer had not fully rested for the event, but she has swum herself into contention.

Rachel Lefley finished sixth in the final of the 100metres backstroke.

The 20-year-old is making her second appearance at the event following her Great Britain debut last year in Istanbul and she touched in 59.25seconds, 1.68secs adrift of Ukrainian winner Daryna Zevina.

Sophie Smith won two gold and two silver medals at this year’s European Junior Championships and was making her senior GB debut in Holland aged just 16.

The City of Leicester swimmer failed to make it through to the final of the 100m individual medley, coming 12th overall in 1min 01.24secs.

Jessica Thielmann was ninth in Eindhoven in 8:33.91.

Ranomi Kromowidjojo swam the fastest 100m freestyle in textiles in history, her time of 51.44secs 0.26 inside the previous best set by Libby Trickett in 2007.

The European record is held by Fran Halsall, who is set to undergo ankle surgery, in 51.19 but in one of the performance-enhancing creations that are now banned.

Femke Heemskerk was second in 52.02 with world long-course champion Britta Steffen, making a comeback from illness and injury.