Joanna Fargus has taken the bronze medal in the women's 200m backstroke at the World Swimming Championship in Japan.

Fargus started slowly and was only fifth after 100m, but a strong showing in the second half saw her pick up the pace and come home in two mins 11.05 secs.

The time was just one-tenth of a second outside her British record.

The race was won by Romanian Diana Mocanu in 2:09.94, with Russia's Stanislava Komarova second in 2:10.43.

'More to give'

Fargus said: "I am a bit disappointed with the time - I thought I could do 2:09, but it was not happening today.

"I will not complain about bronze, but there is still a lot more to give and I will show that at next year's Commonwealth Games."

Zoe Baker was the second fastest qualifier for the women's 50m breaststroke final, winning the B heat in 31.27.

Baker got off to a flyer and lead by half-a-body length at 25m before second-placed Megan Quann started to reel her in.

But Baker had the strength to hold off the American Olympic gold medallist and won in a time just four-one-hundreths of a second outside the European record she set in the heats.

Nicola Jackson built on her relay gold by qualifying for the women's 200m freestyle in the third-fastest time.

The 17-year-old was just outside her own British record as she clocked 1:59.68, but the exertions involved in winning two relay medals finally caught up with Karen Pickering.

Powered

The Ipswich veteran finished sixth in the other semi (2:00.52) and 12th overall.

In the men's 100m freestyle semis the mighty Ian Thorpe could not match the flying Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband.

Van den Hoogenband, the Olympic champion at the distance, set a championship record in 48.57.

Thorpe was only eighth at the turn, but powered down the final 50m to push van den Hoogenband all the way.

Inge de Bruijn continued Holland's impressive display by beating off a strong Swedish challenge to take the women's 50 metres butterfly, her second gold of the championship.

De Bruijn won in 25.90 with Therese Alshammer second in 26.18 and her countrywoman Anna-Karin Kammerling third in 26.45.

Clear violation

Earlier, the British women's 4x200m freestyle team were confirmed as gold medallists after an appeal at the World Swimming Championships.

Swimming's governing body Fina decided original winners Australia were guilty of a "clear violation" of the rules after their swimmers jumped into the pool before other teams had finished.

Fina's jury also rejected an appeal against disqualification by the United States, giving Britain their first world gold for 26 years.