Sarah Price, Barnet Copthall's 21-year-old backstroke star, booked her flight to Sydney with superb performances over 100 metres in the Olympic trials, incorporating the ASA championships at Sheffield.

Price, of Galdana Avenue, New Barnet, won her semi-final in 1minute 1.93 seconds, her fastest ever swim over the distance, breaking the British record of Commonwealth 200m champion Katy Sexton (Portsmouth Northsea).

Sexton won the other semi-final in 1min 1.96secs. With qualification for the final decided on times, they were well clear of J Fergus (City of Bath), 1min 3.35secs, and Zoe Cray (Ipswich), 1min 3.59secs.

And so the scene was set for a thrilling final. Sexton and Price had a terrific battle, and there was little in it at the turn.

However, Sexton just had the edge, regaining her national record with 1min 1.80secs, with Price second (1min 2.18secs).

In her best ever championship, Price also returned her fastest times for the 200m and 50m.

In the 200m, she clocked 2mins 13.91secs, when fourth behind H Don-Duncan (Ashton Central), 2mins 11.25secs, and in the 50m, she pressed Cray all the way, with the Ipswich achieving a new British record of 29.82secs, and Price returning 29.95secs.