Norwich's Anne Bochmann today admitted she was spooked out by media reports of crumbling venues and terrorist threats in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games.

But after dividing Rebecca Adlington and Jo Jackson in Delhi, the teenager looks destined to haunt the Golden Girls of British swimming all the way to London 2012.

The 17-year-old former City of Norwich flyer, who claimed three European junior golds in 2008, came of age at the Dr SP Mukherjee Aquatics Complex to deliver one of the best performances of any English swimmer at the Games in the 400m freestyle.

Bochmann, who maintains the 400m medley is her preferred event, went stroke for stroke with double Olympic champion Adlington for almost half the race before Wales' Jazz Carlin ultimately pipped her to bronze by 0.08 seconds.

Her fourth place was enough to claim the scalp of former world record holder Jackson, 2006 Commonwealth bronze medallist Lauren Boyle and 800m freestyle silver medallist Wendy Trott.

And after keeping her head, and her lunch, while many around her were losing theirs, Bochmann's Indian summer looks may have marked a new dawn in British swimming.

'I found it really good in Delhi, especially bearing in mind what the media made out beforehand,' said Bochmann.

'It was a lot better than what I expected it might have been like and I was fine and stayed healthy all the way through.

'I only looked at the start list for the 400m in the morning and I saw I was swimming next to Jo Jackson so I knew I was in for a really tough day.

'To then get to the final was amazing – the whole experience was just amazing.

'It was so competitive out there and there were so many incredible swimmers in this event so it was a little weird to be swimming alongside them.

'To swim so well and to come fourth, and almost third, was just amazing and that night will be my defining memory.

'I think I will be really pleased when I look back. I got in there, swum a good race and a good time so I am really pleased.'

The British swimming fraternity has been waiting for Bochmann to announce herself on the senior circuit ever since she claimed 400m freestyle, 400m medley and 4x200m freestyle gold at the European juniors in Belgrade two years ago.

And despite almost bringing home a medal on her senior international debut in India, Bochmann, who ended her campaign by finishing tenth in 200m butterfly qualifying, believes she is still a work in progress.

'It is hard to make the jump from junior to senior and I still think I am in the process of making that,' added Bochmann.

'I was delighted with what I did in the 400m though and obviously that was my first Commonwealths and to finish like that was brilliant.

'I aimed to just go out there and give it my all and so I'm just so pleased that I did that. Hopefully there will be plenty more to come in the future.'

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