Mount Everest is still in Spofforth’s sights but she is unable to climb onto podium

Medals were spread among the traditional powerhouses of the United States, Australia and China but there were also visits to the rostrum for swimmers from South Korea and Lithuania.

Spofforth’s desire to compete after losing her motivation following turbulent times in and out of the pool was only reignited at the Olympic trials in March.

Given she had such little time to get back into the sort of shape that would see her challenge, the prospect of a visit to the rostrum in the 100m backstroke is one that not long ago would have seemed unlikely.

Last night the 24-year-old was 0.37secs off a bronze medal in 59.20 seconds in a race won by 17-year-old Missy Franklin.

The Florida-based swimmer admits she was disappointed not to have improved upon her fourth place in Beijing where she missed out on a medal by a fingernail.

Spofforth said: “I came into (last night) really wanting a medal and in 2008 came fourth so to come fifth is a bit of a disappointment.

“But I’ve said all along it’s been a journey not a destination and for me it’s rekindling that love and finding something I am really passionate about and happy about and having fun with life again.

“That’s what I am going to take from this meet and not dwell on the negatives.

“I’m a three-time Olympic finalist now and I’ve got the relay to come.

“One or two years ago I was ready to quit swimming and to be able to be in a final and get fifth is really special for me.”

While admitting it could well have been her last individual race, Spofforth would not shut the door on further competition.

She is set to study counselling and continue with the climbing she has recently taken up with the ultimate ambition of climbing Mount Everest in roughly five years, saying: “It’s always been on my bucket list.”

Tancock is the double world champion and world record holder in the 50m backstroke but with that not being an Olympic event, he concentrated solely on the two-length race here.

The 27-year-old had qualified third fastest and there was optimism he could force his way into the reckoning.

Third at the halfway point, the Loughborough ITC swimmer could not maintain his speed in the final metres and although never out of contention, he fell 0.38 short of the podium in 53.35 with American Matt Grevers winning in an Olympic record of 52.16.

Tancock is nothing if not a relentlessly cheerful, optimistic character, able to always find the positives, especially after having watched girlfriend Caitlin McClatchey qualify for the 200m freestyle final.

He said: “I am pretty pleased, fifth against an absolutely world-class field.

“I had the crowd behind me and they really do make a massive difference.

“Caitlin absolutely smashed the semi-final and that was pretty special for me to watch.

“I’m not coming to London to just swim fast then retire, I want to look to the future, to Rio (2016 Olympics).”

Renwick was never really expected to be in the battle for medals in the 200m freestyle where he was up against the likes of world champion Ryan Lochte, Beijing silver medallist Park Tae Hwan and 400m freestyle champion Sun Yang.

Instead, it was Yannick Agnel who claimed his second title, and France’s third, in 24 hours.

Renwick touched in 1:46.53, a highly-creditable performance, and an improvement on his eighth in Beijing.

There was agony for the two Rotherham swimmers involved in yesterday’s heats.

Joe Roebuck, 27, missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the 200m butterfly by just 0.02.

And that was the exact same narrow margin by which Becky Turner failed to progress to the semis of the 200m freestyle.

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