Groves claims 200m butterfly silver

Australia's Madeline Groves claimed 200m butterfly silver medal at the Rio Olympics on Wednesday night.

Groves finished just 0.03 seconds behind the winner, Mireia Belmonte Garcia from Spain.

Fellow Australian Brianna Throssell finished last.

Groves, 21, became the first Australian to medal in the event since Jessicah Schipper took bronze in Beijing in 2008.

"I did awesome, I don't know what my splits were, but I left everything in the pool," Groves said.

"I'm really, really happy with how I went.

"It's been a bloody awesome time for me, I could have come last in that race, it doesn't matter I'm so happy."

Groves led at the halfway mark before the Spaniard overtook her on lap three.

But the silver medal capped a stirring comeback by the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in the event - the three-time national champion gave away the sport in 2011 to finish high school.

She was then struck down by a chronic shoulder and neck problem in 2014.