WIX’S Laura Stephens admits she felt “overwhelmed” after winning a medal for Great Britain at the European Games.

The Colchester Swimming Club member finished tied for third place to claim bronze in a dramatic women’s 100 metres butterfly final, in Azerbaijan.

Stephens clocked a personal best (PB) time of 1:00.54 in the final at the Baku Aquatics Centre – exactly the same time as Greece’s Ilektra Varvara Lebl.

As a result, the pair shared the podium along with gold medalist Polina Egorova, of Russia, while Great Britain’s Amelia Clynes claimed the silver.

Stephens had made it to the final as sixth-fastest qualifier after clocking 1:00.77 in her semi-final, which had also been a PB.

Stephens said: “I’m overwhelmed – I’m really happy with that swim.

“It was a PB, so I couldn’t have asked for much more and the bronze topped it off.

“I wasn’t expecting it, I went in sixth.

“I was thinking a PB would be good and then maybe climbing a couple of places to fifth or fourth but when I saw third I was so happy.”

Stephens rounded off her European Games participation with a sixth-place finish in the 50m butterfly final, on Saturday.

The 16-year-old clocked a time of 27.49 in her second final in as many days.

Stephens’ time of 27.49s in the final was her third successive PB in the 50m butterfly, having also clocked PBs in the heats (27.79) and semi-finals (27.55).

Earlier at the European Championships, Stephens had been denied progress in the women’s 200m butterfly, despite finishing fifth fastest overall in the heats.

She had won her heat after clocking an impressive time of 2:13.69 but failed to progress to the semi-finals, as she finished as the third-fastest British athlete.