BBC SPORT | Other Sports | Smith breaks British record

By BBC Sport's Bob Ballard in Fukuoka, Japan

After failing to qualify for the 1500 metres freestyle at the Sydney Olympics and not getting a swim on the relay squad, Graeme Smith seriously thought about quitting the sport.

A year later he's in the best form of his life in the 800m freestyle and is getting close to the time that earned him an Olympic bronze in Atlanta five years ago.

On Monday morning in Fukuoka, Smith kept pace with the world record holder Ian Thorpe all the way through the race.

He used the world's top swimmer as a marker through the 16 lengths to break his own British record in a time of 7 mins 56.73 seconds.

Smith was even easing down at the end to preserve some energy for Tuesday's final.

Ian Thorpe comfortably won his heat
The Stockport Metro swimmer, now training at the Commonwealth Games pool in Manchester, has lots more in reserve.

But unless Thorpe or Australian team-mate Grant Hackett have a real off-day, the Scotsman will be battling with the other five swimmers for bronze, which, in itself, will be some achievement.

Adam Faulkner, whilst not making it through to the final, did set a personal best time in the heats of 8 mins 01.15 seconds.

Also with their sights on a podium finish are the women's 4 x 100m freestyle relay team of Alison Sheppard, Melanie Marshall, Ros Brett and Karen Pickering.

They were fourth overall in the heats behind Germany, USA and Australia but only half a second separates all four teams.

The heat time of 3:41:92 was just under a second and a half outside the British record which will go in Monday's final for certain.

Darren Mew wasn't fazed by having the World Record holder Roman Sludnov alongside him in the heats of the 100m breaststroke.

He led at the half way point and came in a close second behind the Russian in a time of 60.93 seconds, the sixth fastest time overall.

Medal prospect

Sludnov's time of 60.40 was a new Championship record.

Sarah Price had an anxious wait to see if she would make the semi-finals of the 50m backstroke - she did, just, with the 16th fastest time of 29.49, 16 one hundredths of a second outside her British record.

On Monday night British swimmers are involved in three finals.

Mark Foster is a medal prospect in the 50m freestyle, likewise the women's 4x100 freestyle relay team.

But Rebecca Cooke, who was fifth fastest in qualifying for the 800m freestyle final, has her eyes on the longer event later in the week and will mainly be looking for a personal best time.