Scots pair Kris Gilchrist and Hannah Miley are favourites to strike gold in the final session of the British Gas National Championships in Sheffield.

Edinburgh’s Gilchrist took another step towards claiming the title that would secure his place in the GB team for the world championships in Rome this summer when he eased through as the fastest qualifier in the semi-finals of the 200m breaststroke.

Miley, who has already secured her ticket to Italy by winning the 200m individual medley, was also the quickest qualifier in the women’s 200m breaststroke. 

But the terrific all-rounder’s main event will be the 400m medley – the distance in which she reached the final at the Olympic Games in Beijing last August.

Gilchrist, who is now based in Paris and training with former City of Edinburgh coach Fred Vergnoux, clocked a fine 2:10.74. His closest challenger on paper is his training mate, Michael Jamieson, who also followed Vergnoux from the Commonwealth Pool to France last autumn.

The 25-year-old looked set to break his British record until he slowed up coming down the final length.

“I just had nothing on the last 50m,” said the slightly disappointed Scot. “I was on pace for the record for the first three lengths and I’ll just need to try and find a way to hold on in the final tomorrow.”

In the 200m butterfly final, the non-stop Miley finished second as 17-year-old Ellen Gandy give GB swimming another huge boost with a new European, Commonwealth and GB record. Beating her previous best by over three seconds, the English girl won in 2:04.83.

Rebecca Adlington, British swimming’s golden girl, shrugged off the disappointment of an early week defeat in the 400m and stormed to victory in the 800m freestyle.

The double Olympic champion has confirmed she will be compete in the Scottish National Championships in Glasgow in June – an event that doubles up as the final world championships trials.