Spofforth bounces back

Gemma Spofforth moved on from the disappointment of having her 100 metres backstroke title defence destroyed by sickness to book a 50m semi-final spot at the World Championships in Shanghai.

Spofforth claimed an emotional gold, which she dedicated to her late mother, at the last World Championships in Rome two years ago. However, the 23-year-old came down with sickness and diarrhoea at the weekend, leaving her devoid of energy and she failed to make it through Monday's heats.

Following the race, the Florida-based swimmer was clearly upset but she returned to the Oriental Sports Centre to qualify 15th for Wednesday night's semis over one length in 28.79seconds, with team-mate Georgia Davies placing joint eighth with Australian Emily Seebohm in 28.39secs.

Spofforth said: "I feel much better, I've got a lot more energy. Hopefully I can come back tonight and give my best shot."

Of Monday's disappointment she said: "I think that, with the rest that went before, that was a little glitch this year and something you can put behind you.

"Things always happen for a reason so hopefully there is a reason for what happened."

New world 200m freestyle champion Ryan Lochte had words of encouragement for his former Florida Gator team-mate and had no doubt Spofforth would bounce back.

Spofforth responded in kind, saying: "He is one of the best people.

"He has been one of my biggest role models ever since I got to Florida and he trains amazingly so it is really good to have someone like that behind you."