Two days ago it was Stephen Fahy setting a new personal best in the 100 metres freestyle at the world championships in Perth, Australia. Yesterday, it was Stephen Troake's turn.

In the heats for the 100m backstroke, the 17-year-old established both a new senior national record as well as a national age group record with a time of 1:02.64.

That eclipsed Stanley Harris' senior national record, set in November, 1995, by four tenths of a second and Troake's own national age group best of 1:03.42, established in Cuba last year.

Team coach Richard Goodwin said: "He swam a beautifully balanced race, going out in 30:82 and coming home very strongly on the second lap in 31:82.'' Troake's time was not good enough to qualify him for the finals, with top seed and eventual gold medallist Lenny Krayzelburg retaining his position with a 55:22 and most of those getting through within touching distance of that time.

But there was a place for Puerto Rican Ricky Busquets, no stranger to Bermuda's swimming fraternity having competed here twice: he tied with Cuban Rudolfo Falcon for the last two spots with a 55:78.

Troake will take today off before his final swim in the 50m freestyle on Saturday. Fahy, meanwhile, is back in action and out to reset his senior national record of 57:65, also achieved in Cuba last year, in the 100m butterfly.

Goodwin said: "Performing at that pace will also qualify him for this event at the Commonwealth Games, which has a standard of 57:84.

"He looks very much on form and is looking forward to this event, which is his speciality.''