Ronald Cowen believes he pushed himself as hard as he could in the heats of mens 200m freestyle at Manchester Aquatics Centre.

But in the end, his best was not good enough, the Bermudian coming in fifth in his heat, which also featured Australian star Grant Hackett, in a time of 1:55.88.

After the three heats were completed on Wednesday morning Cowen, the Island's number one, was in 13th place, five spots out of qualfication for the evening's final.

Aussie superstar Ian Thorpe, who at that point already had two golds and one world record in the bag, finished the heats first in 1:48.50, with the final qualifying spot going to David Carry, of Scotland, in 1:51.45.

Cowen, who finished ahead of Barnsley Albert of the Seychelles and Colin Bensadon of Gibraltar in his heat, said afterwards: "I got in there and I did best times but it just wasn't a day to go fast.

"I felt like I was giving it everything but it was just wasn't there.

Unfortunately, today was just not my day.

"Grant Hacket was there and it was a fast heat but I felt like I should have gone faster. Like I said, I've done best times so I am not too

disappointed."

Cowen has waited eight years for this opportunity, having missed out on the Games in Malaysia four years ago despite making the qualifying mark. A week after being named in the team had collided with a taxi while on his moped and broke his leg. Manchester, then, represented the end of a long road.

"Anything is worth the wait," he said, when asked if it had all been

worthwhile. "I just wish I could have gone a couple of seconds faster. But, looking back, could I have really gone faster? It's not a bad morning's swim."

Earlier on Wednesday Graham Smith missed out on qualifying for the mens 100m breaststroke semi-final.

Smith admitted to being shocked by the temperature of the water after posting what he felt was a disappointing time.

He touched in 1:08.32 and came in fifth after making the turn in 31.37

seconds, finishing ahead of Travano McPhee of the Bahamas in heat two.

"It was really cold water," he said. "I was trying to keep warm before so when I jumped in it was a shock."

Smith said he wished he could have turned back the clock and had another go.

"It's my second best (discipline)," he said. "And I really wanted to go

faster today. I wish I could do it again."

The first Bermudian in the water on Wednesday was youngster Kiera Aitken.

However, she left the pool in tears after making her Commonwealth Games debut in the womens 100m backstroke.

"It think I was just nervous," she said, admitting to being very upset with her time of 1:11.78.

In a field of seven swimmers Aitken came in in sixth ahead of Kuran Khan of Pakistan.

Later in the morning she clocked 1:03.50 in the 100m freestyle coming in last in her heat and 29th overall out of 34 competitors.