Missy still the same despite swimming success

Missy Franklin ensured her fifth gold after winning the women's 200m backstroke. The teenager says although swimming has changed her life, it has not changed her as a person.

The 18-year-old destroyed the field Saturday in what is arguably her strongest event, leading from start to finish to win in a new championship record of 2:04,76, just off the world record of 2:04,06 she set at London to win the Olympic gold, reports Xinhua.

It is her fifth gold medal of these championships. This means that despite her tender age, she has successfully defended the world title she won in 2011.

"It felt awesome and it was a great feat. It's hard to understand what I have done. The 200m backstroke is my favourite event. I don't know what my limit is and I have so many chances to win medals. It is an honour every time I get into the water," she said.

However, the young American admitted that it was tough to follow such a demanding schedule in eight days of competition.

"It never gets easy, there are a lot of great swimmers out there and every race is tough," she said.

"It takes an enormous amount of emotional control when you are racing this much, although I can handle one race a day without too many problems," said Franklin, who remains down to earth despite being a national hero with five medals so far here to add to the four golds she won in Olympics.

"It has changed my whole life but I am still the same girl. I have been able to meet my favourite actors and actresses and so on but all of this has come from the passion I feel for swimming. Our secret is to have fun because we all love what we do," said Missy.