SWIMMING NEWS:NIAMH O'SULLIVAN took her career to a new level when she broke the 11-year-old 800 metres freestyle record of Michelle de Bruin at the World Youth swimming championships in Mexico yesterday.

The 17-year-old from Kerry set an Irish senior best of 8:49.93, 10 seconds quicker than her personal best and just over two seconds better than De Bruin's best.

O'Sullivan's record came on the back of Grainne Murphy and Fiona Doyle also setting Irish junior records.

Murphy set a best for the 400 metres individual medley, 4.52.49, and Doyle clocked a record 32.69 for the 50 metres breaststroke.

At the British championships in Liverpool, Dubliner Barry Murphy qualified fourth fastest for the 50 metres freestyle, clocking 22.90 on the day he was ignored by the Olympic Council of Ireland for Beijing.

Murphy was stunned when he was left out of the squad even though his times were similar to those of backstrokers Melanie Nocher and Aisling Cooney, who were selected along with Andrew Bree.

Belfast's Clare Dawson made the 200 metres free final when she came home in 2:02.82, seventh fastest for this morning's medal decider.

Bree, competing in his lesser event, the 50 metres breaststroke, just missed out on the final after a swim-off with Ross Clarke.

Both came home in 29.67 to finish eighth fastest, but in the swim-off the Scot won it in 28.88. Bree touched in 29.10 and ironically both times would have got them through to the final in the earlier heats.

Bree will compete in tonight's heats of the 200 metres breaststroke, his main event.

Nocher is looking ahead to the backstroke events after competing in the 200 metres freestyle where she placed 17th in 2:05.52.