FORMER Colchester Swimming Club member Laura Stephens is now ranked sixth in the world for the women's 200 metres butterfly following a superb performance at the Edinburgh International Meet.

The talented 20-year-old clocked a lifetime best time of 2:07.62 to easily beat the field and win gold and make her the fifth-fastest British performer of all time.

Stephens, the 2019 World Championships finalist, told the Gazette: "I’m really happy with the progress I made in Edinburgh.

"To see everything that I’ve been working on in training fall into place is very encouraging, especially with the Olympics just around the corner.

"Now it’s just a matter of keeping the focus and momentum going.

"I’m very excited for what’s to come."

Stephens, who now represents Plymouth Leander, secured a split time of 1:01.41/1:06.21 in her 200m fly, beating the 2:07.96 she swam at last year's British Championships.

The Tokyo Olympics hopeful was a comfortable winner ahead of second-placed 2017 World Junior Champion Emily Large of Newcastle (2:09.52) and three-time Olympian Hannah Miley, who won bronze in 2:13.92.

Former Colchester County High School for Girls pupil Stephens also won 100m bronze and claimed 50m butterfly title in a time of 26.82 seconds.

It was the Plymouth Leander swimmer's fastest-ever time at the distance and she was the only competitor to go under 27 seconds.

Stephens, who is currently reading architectural engineering at the University of Plymouth, will have to wait to find out how Olympic qualification will take place following the cancellation of next month's British Swimming Championships due to the coronavirus.

The Championships were due to take place at Ponds Forge in Sheffield, on April 14-19.

A British Swimming statement read: 'After the latest announcement from the UK government, which advises against non-essential contact and mass gatherings of people, British Swimming can confirm that the British Swimming Championships and the British Para-Swimming International Meet (BPSIM) have been cancelled.

'Both events were due to take place next month, at the London Aquatics Centre and Sheffield's Ponds Forge respectively. Refunds will be available, with ticket holders contacted in due course.

'The British Swimming Championships were set to double as the Olympic trials. In light of that, the following selection policies are under review by British Swimming's World Class Performance Leadership Group, as per General Conditions G15 and G14: the 2020 Olympic Games Selection Policy;

2020 Olympic Games Marathon Swimming Selection Policy; 2020 European Championships (Pool) Selection Policy; 2020 European Junior Championships Selection Policy; 2020 FINA World Junior Open Water Championship Selection Policy.

'BPSIM, meanwhile, was also a World Para Swimming World Series competition and acted as the British Paralympic trial event. The relevant Paralympic selection policies are now also under review.

'Further details over updates to the selection policies and the ongoing situation moving forward will be provided as soon as possible.'