Welsh swimmer Jazz Carlin suffered European final heartbreak in Budapest as she missed out on a technicality.

The 19-year-old was sixth fastest in the 400 metres freestyle heats and as the top eight qualify, Carlin would have qualified for the finale.

But rules state only two swimmers from one country can qualify and Rebecca Adlington and Jo Jackson were faster.

Adlington was quickest but fourth-fastest Jackson was just a hundredth of a second quicker than Carlin.

Double Olympic champion Adlington went onto to beat Ophélie-Cyrielle Étienne of France in the 400m final.

Carlin had earlier in the week missed out on a place in the 200m freestyle after the 2009 4x200m freestyle relay World Championship bronze medallist finished 12th overall in the heats.

Carlin, though, together with Adlington, Hannah Miley and Jackson helped Great Britain win the 4x200m freestyle relay bronze in Budapest behind Hungary and France.

Meanwhile, fellow Welsh swimmer Jemma Lowe helped Great Britain's team through to the final of the 4x100 metre medley relay at the European Championships.

The 20-year-old British record-holder swam the butterfly leg as the defending champions were the fastest team by more than a second in qualifying.

But Lowe was dealt a blow as she was omitted from the final team and replaced by European 100m butterfly silver medallist Fran Halsall as Team GB won gold - and Lowe claimed her second successive European title.

"The heat swimmers are key," said Halsall afterwards. "And there are six or seven of us getting medals here."

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