Team GB swimmer Joe Hulme has set his sights on the 200m backstroke event at the European Games, having narrowly missed out on a medal in the 100m this afternoon.
The 17-year-old finished in fourth place in the first medal event of the day at the Baku Aquatics Centre, just 0.02s off a place on the podium alongside gold medallist teammate Luke Greenbank.
Hulme still has the 50m and 200m backstroke events to come later this week, and he is confident of improving on his performance in the latter especially.
Immediately after the race, he spoke to Sports Mole about his performances over the course of the day, which also included an exit from the 200m individual medley this morning.
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What's the overriding emotion for you after that race?
"I came here to get a medal really. To come out fourth by 2/100ths is pretty hard. But I've got my better event later in the week, the 200m, so hopefully I can come in and do a bit better."
Coming so close must give you confidence heading into that 200m then?
"Well you know, yeah. It's just tough, losing by 2/100ths. [I've] got to get back in and show them how to do 200m really."
How about your time of 55.37s, are you happy with that?
"It's a bit slower than last night [in the semi-finals]. If I'd done my time last night I would have come third. I'll see what I can do."
How are you feeling ahead of the 50m and 100m later in the week?
"I'm not feeling speedy to be honest with you, so to come [in and get] a PB in the 100m is quite a good one. I'm feeling better on the 200m overall anyway, so hopefully I can come and break two minutes."
You also went out in the 200m individual medley earlier. How did you feel about that?
"I went in, I didn't really want to do it to be honest with you. I went in and just swam it. I was just really resting up for tonight."
Did that exit put a bit more pressure on you to perform tonight?
"It didn't matter to me to be honest with you. I just wanted to do well tonight but you know, that's how it goes."
