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Britain's Gemma Spofforth is relishing the chance to compete on home water at December's Duel in the Pool and insists she has returned from the World Championships stronger than ever.

Spofforth captured 100m backstroke gold in August's World Championships in Rome - setting a new world record in the process - to avenge her disappointment of finishing fourth at the Beijing Olympics.

The inaugural Duel in the Pool between the USA and a Europe select team is scheduled for December at the Manchester Aquatics Centre in a short course format that pits both 36-strong squads against each other.

Spofforth is no stranger to the format, popular in the USA, having been based at the University of Florida since 2006, but it will be the 21-year-old's first major international meet in the UK after she missed out on the 2008 world short course championships in Manchester.

And the five-time NCAA champion cannot wait to return to home waters later this year and strut her stuff in front of a British crowd, less than three years before London hosts the Olympics.

"I'm really excited to be able to compete in front of a home crowd in Britain," said Spofforth.

"Manchester did a really good job for the World Short Course, so I've heard, so I can't wait.

"It's something that British Swimming have been working hard on and hopefully a meet like this will be something that the British public will be interested in and come and watch.

"It will be a great experience to race in front of a home crowd. London 2012 is a long way away yet so I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket for that.

"But coming back from the World Championships, I think I'm the same person, my work-ethic is still as good as ever at the start of the semester over here.

"I've come back as a stronger swimmer and I really want to go on improving my performances and be as good as I possibly could be."

The USA have confirmed they will be sending a highly competitive squad to the Duel in the Pool, including 14-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps and 20-year-old Beijing 200m breaststroke champion Rebecca Soni.

Europe will enter a team containing 12 athletes from Great Britain, Germany and Italy which could see the likes of double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and 400m freestyle world record holder Federica Pellegrini joining forces.

More Than The Games / Eurosport