US swimmer Michael Phelps ends career with 18th gold medal

Michael Phelps enjoys the victory over his friend Ryan Lochte (EPA)

The Olympic swimming programme came to an end tonight with Michael Phelps bowing out with the 18th gold medal of a career few are ever likely to match.

It also concluded what has been a disappointing meet for the host nation who finished with two bronze medals for Rebecca Adlington and a silver for Michael Jamieson in the 200 metres breaststroke in a performance that promises a great future.

There was a fourth place on the final evening for the men's 4x100m medley relay, fifth for Fran Halsall in the 50m freestyle and eighth-place finishes for the women's medley relay and Daniel Fogg in the 1,500m freestyle.

For Halsall the meet has fallen way short of what she had hoped for.

Seen as a possible medal contender in more than one event, the 22-year-old came away with nothing.

Instead there were two fifth-place finishes, sixth in the 100m freestyle, after which she was desolate, as well as eighth.

The Loughborough ITC swimmer missed the podium by eight one hundredths of a second tonight in 24.47 seconds.

Afterwards the Southport-born swimmer was in tears as she reflected on her campaign.

She said: "All I can say is that the crowd has been amazing. The support I have had this week has been incredible. It is just me who hasn't been incredible.

"Things are sent to try you and it really has tried me. I couldn't have tried anymore. I gave it my absolute all. It's just what I wanted.

"I think it's pretty hard to talk about it now because it's still so raw and I haven't processed it all now."

Of tonight's final, she sobbed: "I can't really put it in to words. I'm sorry. I'm just emotional. I'm sorry.

"I am going to have a holiday and a drink! I can't say much more. "It's so raw. I'm going to go to a foreign island.

"The support has been amazing.

"It just feels like a kick in the b******s."

PA