Rebecca Adlington last night claimed Great Britain's first Olympic medal in the pool when she produced a customary performance full of skill and guts as she took bronze in the 400 metres freestyle.

The race was won by Frenchwoman Camille Muffat in a new Olympic record of four minutes 01.45 seconds with American Allison Schmitt second.

However, it was a superb performance by defending champion Adlington, forced to swim out of lane eight after only just scraping into the final yesterday morning.

The 23-year-old came from sixth at halfway to touch in 4mins 03.01secs and by the end was closing on Muffat and Schmitt.

No Briton has ever successfully defended an Olympic swimming title and the heats underlined the magnitude of her task as she just squeaked into the reckoning, thereby having to swim out of lane eight with little idea of what was going in the centre lanes occupied by the fastest qualifiers.

However, swimming out of outside lanes is nothing new for the Bill Furniss-coached athlete.

She claimed a silver medal out of lane one behind Federica Pellegrini at last year's World Championships and was third at the previous worlds in Rome three years ago from an outside lane.

Muffat entered London as a model of consistency this season as well as having become the fastest over eight lengths in a textile suit while Schmitt, who trains alongside Michael Phelps in Baltimore, had announced herself as a clear medal contender at last month's US trials.

Adlington was shocked by her third place after her heat swim although she was slightly disappointed with her time.

She said: "I didn't expect a medal especially after going in eighth.

"It was an extremely tough race.

"I saw them, they were off, I just couldn't keep with them.

"I am a little disappointed at the time, I did go faster in March, but to be honest I am so happy I managed to sneak that medal.

"It's nice that I have medalled on home ground, another Olympic medal is just unbelievable, there is not an ounce of disappointment in me.

"I gave it my absolute all and I am so so pleased to come away with a medal.

"I heard the crowd, I just put my head down and went and once I got out it was unbelievable."

Ellen Gandy was eighth in the 100m butterfly in which the United States' Dana Vollmer set a new world record of 55.98.

Melbourne-based Gandy touched in 57.76 with just 0.59 separating fourth to eighth and the former Beckenham swimmer said: "It was great to be part of a historic race and the crowd was amazing.

"I would have liked to swim faster but I was pleased to make the final and I still have my main event to come."

Gemma Spofforth and Liam Tancock reached their respective 100m backstroke finals with Robbie Renwick also featuring in tonight's 200m freestyle decider.

Cameron van der Burgh set a new world record of 58.46 in the 100m breaststroke while France shocked the United States as they overhauled them in the final metres to win the 4x100m freestyle relay.