Sarah Price set a World Championships qualifying time in the 200m backstroke at the North Eastern Counties Championships in Sheffield today. Following the Trials last month in Manchester for the World Championships in Japan in July Price was selected to swim in the 100m backstroke and the medley relay but a personal best time of 2.12.33 puts her in line for the second spot in the 200m event in Japan.

Price'ss Bath team mate Joanna Fargus has already been selected to swim the 200m backstroke in Japan but a second spot is open to anyone who can swim inside the qualifying time of 2.12.44. However, with final selection not taking place until 24th June Price isn'st guaranteed selection. Portsmouth'ss Katy Sexton, the Commonwealth Champion, swam 2.12.44 at the Manchester Trials and has opportunities to swim faster at the British Grand Prix in Manchester in three weeks and the Scottish National Championships at the end of June.

"I'sm really pleased with that," said Price. "It'ss a personal best time by a tenth of a second and I'sm not shaved or rested for this event. I knew I had it in me because I misplaced it in Manchester but this doesn'st necessarily mean I will get to swim it at the World Championships. I know Katy can do it."

James Hickman edged a little closer to qualifying for the World Championships with his best swim of the year so far. Hickman and butterfly rival Stephen Parry were surprisingly outside the qualifying time in Manchester last month. However, Hickman'ss swim will give him a much needed boost of confidence that might take him to the 100m qualifying time tomorrow.

"I am very disappointed to get so close to the qualifying time for the World Champs and not to make it. Still, to be quicker than I was at the Trials is positive. I'sve got the 100m tomorrow and I'sm going to have to have a go at that."

Tough qualifying times have been set by performance director Bill Sweetenham. 21 swimmers rose to the challenge in Manchester and swimmers have the opportunity to add their names to the team sheet here in Sheffield. Nicola Jackson has already been selected for the 4x200m freestyle relay but is looking to qualifying in an individual event. In the heats this morning personal best times in the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle suggested she might do something special tonight, especially after coming within a tenth of second of the British 100m butterfly record. However, she fell just short of her 1.00.47 set this morning, finishing in 1.00.50. The record of 1.00.37 set by Georgina Lee last month remains intact.

"It was all going well until the end. My finish was rubbish. I felt strong but I just didn'st spot my finish. I'sm still pleased with the time though, this morning was a personal best time."

Reading'ss Rebecca Cooke had an interesting evening swimming against male competitors in the 800m freestyle. Often a solitary figure in distance freestyle swimming Cooke relished the opportunity to compete in a race where she wouldn'st be out in front all the way. Her finishing time of 8.42.90 for third place was outside her best but she already has her seat on the plane to Japan secured.

The racing continues tomorrow with Mark Foster'ss 50m freestyle being eagerly anticipated. He hasn'st qualified for the World Championships on this event yet and looks to make amends tomorrow. The British record of 22.29 could be under threat.