Freya Colbert: World title a 'stepping stone' to Olympic Games

British teenager Freya Colbert says her breakthrough World Championship title is a confidence-building "stepping stone" towards the Paris Olympics.

Colbert, 19, claimed her first global gold medal on Sunday with victory in the women's 400m medley in Doha.

She says her "cheeks hurt from smiling" after the race, but the Lincolnshire swimmer has quickly put the win into context ahead of the summer Olympics.

"The job's not done," she told BBC East Midlands Today.

"My coach Dave [Hemmings] and everyone has been good at framing it in a way that it is another stepping stone to the summer.

"I'm definitely going into the Olympic trials and all my competitions coming up feeling a lot more confident in myself and in my abilities, knowing that when it came down to the wire and it was close I was able to get my hand on that wall first and I was able to perform to the best of my ability at that big world stage against some of the fastest girls in the sport.

"I've definitely got another achievement under my belt, but my aspirations have always been the same, and have remained the same, and this is just another thing that will help lift me towards those goals."

'Papped like Kim Kardashian'

Colbert was back poolside at her Loughborough University training base on Wednesday to talk about her success at the World Aquatics Championships, and she says the added interest in her has taken some getting used to.

But once back in the water, she says the achievement and instantly heightened profile has not made a difference.

"When we did a lap of the pool [in Doha] and we stood there and all these photographers were taking out pictures I was like 'wow, this is what Kim Kardashian looks like when she gets papped or something'," Colbert said, laughing.

"I'm quite aware that my face has been plastered across people's Instagrams.

"I just feel awkward about it all. But who doesn't like people saying 'well done'?

"In terms of day-to-day in the pool, it's no different. Once everyone has said their 'well dones' you just get back to the way it has been, and that is the best way for it to be.

"I'm almost glad it doesn't feel any different, because I don't want to get complacent."

Happy flying 'slightly under the radar'

Colbert has long had a close-up view of what it means to be a winner, as she swims at the same pool as multi-world, Olympic, European and Commonwealth champion Adam Peaty.

And, while she acknowledges she is now "a bigger name" than before, Colbert says her relative inexperience at the elite level will help her deal with her recent success.

"For me, every situation I go into is different. I feel like I'm in a different place every single time, I feel like I'm a different person and I've grown a lot every single time," she said.

"When I look at Adam Peaty and they way he goes into every competition and he is expected to win by a mile, I'd hate that.

"I'm at a great place where I have confidence in myself and my abilities, but I'm not at that point where everyone is expecting me to do something outrageous every single time.

"I can fly slightly under the radar and I do really like that."