WILTSHIRE’S Jazz Carlin last chance of a medal at the World Championships in Barcelona disappeared this morning as she failed to reach the 800m freestyle final.

The former Wootton Bassett School pupil, who boasted the fastest time over the distance going into the meet, was yet again on the wrong side of the tiniest of margins as she finished outside the top eight times.

The 22 year old, who was out-touched for bronze by just 0.14 seconds in the 400m freestyle final on Sunday before her time of 16:06.46 left her ninth overall in the 1500m heats on Monday, clocked 8:27.48 for fourth place in hea heat at Palau Saint Jordi.

It was the fourth fastest swim of her career and two and a half seconds faster than her heat swin at the British Championships in June, where she competed a hat-trick of gold medals at 400, 800 and 1500m.

But at only sixth fastest overall after the first two heats, it left Carlin vulnerable with the final heat remaining and the Wiltshire woman’s worst fears were realised as Venezuela’s Andreina Pinto (8:27.03) and America’s Chloe Sutton (8:27.41) both went quicker to nudge her out of the final.

America’s Katie Ledecky, eyeing a hat-trick after victories in the 400m and 1500m freestyle finals, clocked the fastest time with 8:20.65.

Carlin, who clocked a Welsh record 8:18.58 to win the British title in June, said: “It was tough and I’m really disappointed obviously. I was happy but disappointed with the 400. I wanted to go in and get a good swim but it wasn’t the swim I wanted it to be.

"I’ve still got plenty of determination and motivation for the next three years. I’m happy to be here. I wanted to be on the podium obviously but there’s still so much that I want and need to work on.

"It’s about looking forward now and on to next year’s Commonwealth Games."

She added: "I am going to make sure that I am doing everything in training, I am going to push myself even harder, I'm going to be faster.

"I don't want to be stuck on those times that everyone thinks are okay.

"I want to be fighting to be the best in the world."

MORE SPORTS NEWS & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD