Kidderminster's Amy Smith believes the vociferous home crowd made her London 2012 experience all the more special.

The 25-year-old swimmer produced some impressive performances at her first Games but narrowly missed out on reaching individual finals in the 50m and 100m freestyle races.

However, the Wyre Forest Swimming Club member will never forget the backing of the home fans at the Aquatics Centre.

“This whole experience was amazing, I’ve been at villages before but nothing quite compares to this,” said Smith.

“Obviously been at home you’re treated differently.

“Team GB has been treated as special and that was amazing.

“The atmosphere was brilliant as well, it was so loud when you walked out onto the pool.

“I have competed at home meets before but it was incredible.

“When I stepped out for the swim-off on Friday there was a wall of noise and they were chanting my name and it definitely makes a difference.”

Smith made an encouraging start to the Games on the first Saturday when she teamed up with Jessica Lloyd, Caitlin McClatchey and Rebecca Turner and come through their heat in the 4x100m freestyle relay to make the final. The British quartet then finished fifth in a race won by Australia.

She then set out to impress in the individual events and on Wednesday booked her place in the 100m freestyle semi-final, but despite coming close to her personal best with a time of 54.28 seconds, she finished eighth and missed out.

There was even more drama on Friday in the 50m freestyle heats. She looked on the verge of losing out on the semi-finals after a time of 25.28 in her heat put her on the fringes of the top 16.

But she was given another chance to progress after Kara Lynn Joyce and Sarah Blake Bateman set the same time and Amy responded with gusto to win her three-way swim-off in a time of 24.82.

The Wyre Forest swimming star came agonisingly close to making her individual final and in by far the quickest semi-final came sixth in 24.87, only to finish ninth overall by 0.15.

Smith was also in good form in the 4x100m medley relay, anchoring the British quartet in the semi-final with a new PB of 53.69 to ensure a spot in Saturday’s medal decider.

But was then denied another chance to impress when 100m freestyle finalist Fran Halsall was preferred ahead of her.

“I got close to my best times but I am disappointed not to set some new personal bests,” she added. “But I raced in a relay final and reached two semi-finals at the Olympics and there aren’t too many people who can say that.

“To be an Olympian and to have raced at the Games is something which will stay with me forever.

“By the time the next Games come around I will be 29, which is a little old so I don’t think I can look that far ahead.”

Smith is now set to take several months off to recharge her batteries and look for a new coach as her long-time trainer Ian Arminger moves to the Cayman Islands.