World Swimming: Jazz Carlin vows to come back stronger

Britain's Jazz Carlin insists she will return stronger after failing to win a medal at swimming's World Championships in Barcelona.

Carlin, 22, was fourth in the 400m freestyle and then missed out on reaching the final in both of her favoured 1500m and 800m events.

She had set some of the fastest times in the world at last month's trials.

"It's really disappointing, but I'm so driven now and know I can go faster again," said Carlin.

"In the past it would have really knocked my confidence but I believe I can come back even stronger."

Carlin was ninth in the heats of both the 1500m and 800m, just one place off making the finals in each.

However, her time of 16 minutes 6.46 seconds in the 1500m was 18 seconds slower than the time she recorded at the GB trials in Sheffield, while 8:27.48 in the 800m was nine seconds slower.

Carlin, who won Commonwealth silver and bronze medals for Wales in 2010, missed last year's London Olympics after suffering from glandular fever in the build-up to the trials.

The British team went on to endure a disappointing Games, winning just three medals in the pool - a silver for Michael Jamieson and two bronze medals for Rebecca Adlington.

Following a debrief into the sport's shortcomings, it was decided that trials for major events would be moved from their traditional date around March to later in the year.

The system, which follows the same format that the US swimming team uses, meant this year's British Championships took place less than four weeks before the Barcelona Worlds - something Carlin and several other swimmers have struggled to adapt to.

"It only gave us a few weeks and, being a distance swimmer, you need those really big blocks of training behind you," Carlin told BBC Radio 5 live.

"If the June trials continue, I'll have to look at having less rest before them, but you don't want to take anything for granted about getting on the team [by going in tired from training].

"However, the main focus has to be on the biggest event of the year - rather than swimming quickly three weeks ago, which technically doesn't mean anything."

Carlin must now focus on next year's European Championships and Commonwealth Games as she builds toward the 2016 Olympics.

"I have come here and done another major championship and to be 14 hundredths off bronze [in the 400m] at the start of the week is obviously a boost heading to Rio," she added.