Adlington wins gold

Adlington makes no secret that the 200m is her 'fun event', with the longer 400m and 800m distances, in which she is Olympic champion, her signature swims.

But what she lacks in speed she makes up for in endurance, as Adlington's superior strength in the final 50m allowed her to touch home in 1.58.90, inside the World Championship qualifying time, while Jaz Carlin and the in-form Keri-Anne Payne completed the podium.

British Swimming officials have invested much in their women's 4x200m freestyle team and the evidence from these trials look encouraging.

However, former 400m freestyle world record holder Joanne Jackson and one-time double Commonwealth champion Caitlin McClatchey - who were part of the quartet that won world bronze in Rome two years ago - look set to miss out on improving that performance, with teenager Rebecca Turner completing the top four in Manchester.

"There were six girls under two minutes and that has set us up nicely for the 4x200m relay in Shanghai," said Adlington, who will complete her week with the 800m freestyle.

"We all do genuinely love each other and it is great when we can come together and we always give the rest of the world a good challenge.

"I don't know what to expect from the 800m really because it has not gone for me over the last couple of years and I feel as though I have lost my touch really.

"But hopefully after the two gold medals I can go out there and do it again."

Adlington will now face a tough decision about her own schedule in Shanghai. The double Olympic champion was one of the busiest swimmers at last year's Commonwealth Games - with six races in six days, all leading to a place on the podium.

She has hinted she will again battle on four fronts in China, with the prospect of three individual battles with double world champion Federica Pellegrini one of the most enticing of the championships.

Elsewhere, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Michael Rock defended his 200m butterfly title in a World Championships qualifying time of 1.56.31, while Joe Roebuck claimed second and Roberto Pavoni completed the podium.

"I was really pleased with that performance, I just wanted to get the qualification and while the time isn't quite where I need to be, I've moved on from last year and I'm pretty confident that I can move on again before Shanghai," said Rock.

Georgia Davies looks set to continue the breakthrough form she showed at last year's Commonwealth Games, when she won 50m backstroke bronze, after progressing to the final fastest in 28.77s, just fractions ahead of Emma Saunders who set a 29.89 sec personal best.

Adam Brown was fastest through the 100m freestyle semi-finals while international regulars Grant Turner, Liam Tancock and Simon Burnett will also expect to be in the medal mix.