SHEFFIELD, England - Britain's Liam Tancock set a world record of 24.47 seconds for the 50 metres backstroke at Britain's Olympic trials on Wednesday.

Tancock set the record on the first 50 of the men's 200 backstroke heats, eclipsing German Thomas Rupprath's mark of 24.80.

"Everyone in the world has been queuing up for a world record," he told reporters. "I decided to go for it a few weeks ago. I was feeling fast in training. I am really pleased."

Wednesday was the third day of the British Swimming Championships. To make the British team for Beijing, swimmers had to finish first or second in their final and have met the international swimming federation 'A' time in their heat.