Norwich's Anne Bochmann couldn't hide her disappointment yesterday after a poor start to the British Swimming Championships.

The 18-year-old was well off her best at the Olympic Aquatic Centre, crashing out in the heats of the 400m freestyle as she came home in 4:20.91 in a heat won by double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington.

The City of Norwich swimmer finished fourth over 400m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in India just two years ago where she swam her personal best of 4:08.30 which would have qualified her in fourth for last night's final.

However Bochmann was six seconds outside the final, finishing 17th overall, and she admits it is not the first time she has struggled to find her best form in the early stages of a competition.

'I'm really disappointed with how it went,' said Bochmann. 'Obviously I wanted to do a lot more and to not even make the final is pretty gutting.

'I have to try to move on and focus on my next races but at least they are coming up soon so I'll be able to forget about that.

'I think I got a bit caught up in the atmosphere of the event but I need to go through it with my coach and see what I'm going to do next.

'I think part of the problem was that it was the first race and that is usually a bit dodgy, but that is something I need to work on and try to improve for the future.'

While Bochmann was left frustrated at her first swim of the championships she at least has the consolation of having the 200m freestyle and 200m medley to look forward to later in the week. And although her greatest successes have come over the longer distance, she insists all her focus will now move to the 200s.

She added: 'Hopefully I can do a bit better in the rest of my races, I have the 200 free and 200 medley so that will be a chance to put it right and hopefully they will go better.'

Adlington later made a statement of intent as she booked a spot on the GB team with a dominant display in the 400 metres freestyle final.

The 23-year-old led from start to finish to touch in four minutes 02.35 seconds, faster than the time that saw her claim the Olympic title as well as silver at last year's World Championships. Olympic bronze medallist Jo Jackson held off fast-finishing Eleanor Faulkner as she left behind the illness and asthma that had so affected her since autumn 2009. Former relay world medallist Jaz Carlin was fourth.

As well as Adlington and Jackson, Ellen Gandy set a British record as she and Fran Halsall made the team in the 100m butterfly.