It was a case of so near and yet so far for Scots Hannah Miley and Kris Gilchrist on the final day at the European short-course swimming Championships at Rijeka in Croatia. 

Miley, who was fourth in the 200 medley on the opening day, was again a frustrating one place away from the podium in her favourite 400m event.

Third fastest qualifier, the teenager from Inverurie clocked 4.27.33. Alessia Filippi won in 4:26.06 with fellow-Italian and 200m champion, Francesca Segat, over a second behind in second spot.

Gilchrist, the world champion from Manchester seven months ago, was third at halfway in the 200m breaststroke, but slipped back to fourth at the final touch in 2:05.84. 

France’s Hugues Duboscq won gold in a new European record of 2:04.89.

However, at the end of Olympic year, the championships were rather overshadowed by a coaches’ call to end the hi-tech developments in body suits that are resulting in a swathe of new records. This year, there have been 101 world records. 

A petition has been lodged with the sport’s world ruling body – FINA – to introduce some restrictions before next year’s world championships in Rome.