By Liz Byrnes in Gwangju
Georgia Davies was expecting a sleepless night after claiming her first world medal at the age of 28 as part of the Great Britain 4x100m mixed medley relay squad at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Davies has competed in four world titles but the nearest she had come before Wednesday night was fifth in the same event at the 2017 edition in Budapest.
However, she led the team out in 59.25secs to set them on their way to third place in 3:40.68.
She said: “I just feel so thrilled with this. I think I am going to struggle to sleep for a few hours. It’s my fourth world champs and my first medal.
“At the age of 28 I finally got there!”
Davies, who trains in Turkey with the Energy Standard club, took out the backstroke leg alongside Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Murphy of the United States and Australian former world champion Mitch Larkin.
What a swim!!!! @Ge0rgiaDavies90 @adam_peaty @Jimbob95goon @freyaandersonn combine to win a brilliant bronze 🥉 in the Mixed Medley Relay #FINAGwangju2019 pic.twitter.com/pk4HlkDC82
— Aquatics GB (@Aquatics_GB) July 24, 2019
“It is a case of focusing solely on yourself and your own performance,” said Davies.
“It is quite scary but you have to see it as you are swimming in your own lane and its’s almost like a time trial.
“So for me I had two guys either side of me and they were gone straightaway so I was just trying to swim the fastest leg I could possibly do and also trying to finish really well so the takeovers are clean.
“Luckily I literally can’t see them because they just shoot off straightaway. When I tumble-turned and I could see they were quite a bit ahead I was like ‘oh God I need to pick it up now’.
“It’s quite daunting but at least I know that if we are behind there’s probably going to be our guys going against other people’s girls so I know they can hunt them down then.”
It was Davies’ second swim of the night after she qualified third for Thursday’s final of the 50m backstroke in 27.72.
Davies is reigning European champion in the one-length race and the Commonwealth bronze medallist.
Commonwealth champion Alys Thomas made it to the final of the women’s 200m butterfly in sixth in 2:08.26.
Also 28, Thomas has always been intent on doing herself justice in Gwangju after illness disrupted her previous worlds appearance two years ago in Budapest.
Thomas has had to make adjustments after being shocked by her own performance in becoming Commonwealth champion but she has realised her goal of making the final.
“I’m into my first World Champs final – that is pretty cool,” she said.
“I’m a bit annoyed with the time and I’m kind of lucky that the first heat was a bit slower and the faster girls were all in mine, which pulled us along a bit.
“I feel in really good shape, I’ve had a good block of work and my taper has worked really well, so I can’t put a time on it but I want to go quicker tomorrow.”