CITY of Liverpool swimmer Fran Halsall missed out on a medal in the final of the 100 metres freestyle in Beijing today but insisted: “My time will come in four years.” The 18-year-old from Southport failed to match her performance in the heats when she had set a new British record of 53.94secs as she finished eighth in 54.29secs. “I’m not really happy with how I swam this morning but I gave it my best shot,” said Halsall. “It was a bit hard at the beginning when everyone was cheering as they said take your marks. It was a bit of a surreal experience. “I tried my best and that is all I can do. My time will come in four years. I am getting better every competition I come to. Last year I made the world final, this year I made the Olympic final. “I’ve still got four years to go. I’m only 18 so by the time 2012 comes anything can happen.” Halsall was set to return to the Water Cube later today for the 50m freestyle heats – her final event. Fellow Liverpool swimmer Michael Rock bowed out of the Olympics yesterday after failing to progress from the 100m butterfly heats. The 21-year-old from Allerton was fourth in his heat in 52.52secs but missed out on the semis after finishing 29th fastest overall. Rock, who reached the semis of the 200m butterfly with a new personal best earlier this week, was well outside the British record of 52.28secs he set at the Olympic Trials back in April. Meanwhile, gold medal hopeful Kelly Sotherton lies fifth in the heptathlon in Beijing after two events. Sotherton began with a personal best of 13.18 seconds in the 100 metres hurdles, earning her 1,097 to lie fourth. She then cleared 1.83m in the high jump, but three failures at 1.86m – a centimetre off her best – ended her participation, while leader Hyleas Fountain, who won Sotherton’s hurdles heat, cleared 1.89m. Sotherton earned 2,113 points in her first two events, 138 behind the impressive Fountain. Julie Hollman is down in 24th place with 1,859 points after 14.43 in the 100m hurdles and 1.77m in the high jump. Britain’s three 100m men all booked their places in tonight’s second round after the heats. Craig Pickering was first to qualify as he came third in the same heat as Jamaica’s much-fancied Asafa Powell in a time of 10.21. But the star for the Brits was Tyrone Edgar, who won heat six in a time of 10.13, before Simeon Williamson grabbed third place in his heat to also progress. | 
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