JEMMA Lowe claimed her second bronze medal of the week yesterday evening as she finished third in the final of the 100m butterfly on the final day of the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Istanbul.

Hartlepool-born Lowe, who is a two-time Olympic finalist, had already claimed a bronze in the 200m butterfly earlier in the week.

She secured a second medal yesterday, starting strongly over the opening 50m and holding on to claim third position in a blanket finish.

“I am over the moon with that result,” said Lowe, who is now based at British Swimming's high-performance centre in Swansea. “We have only just started speed work in training, for one week, so I wasn't sure how my speed was going to be.

“I just gave it my best because I knew it was going to be a real fight and I wasn't sure whether I was going to touch and get bronze, but I did in the end and I am so happy.”

Having confirmed her status as one of the world's leading butterfly swimmers at the London Olympics, Lowe is targeting next year's World Long Course Championships as an opportunity to claim what would be the biggest medal of her career.

This week's performances suggest she is capable of lowering her personal-best times, with yesterday's time of 56.66sec shaving a hundredth of a second off her short-course Welsh record.

“I haven't rested much for this and I'm really positive about how I am doing now,” she added. “I am just going to get back in training and keep doing what I am doing.

“I just need to keep thinking positive and enjoying myself, and try to get good results in the next year. I am looking forward to it.”