Laura Stephens and Freya Anderson at their best to strike gold in Edinburgh

Laura Stephens and Freya Anderson both set new personal bests on the opening day of the Edinburgh International Swim Meet.

The British duo put on impressive displays at the Royal Commonwealth Pool as they build up their preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Plymouth Leander’s Stephens shaved 0.34 seconds off her previous record time in the 200m Butterfly as she clocked 2:07.62

It was an encouraging performance from Stephens, who was 1.90 seconds clear of second-placed Emily Large (2:09.52), with Aberdeen’s Hannah Miley third in a time of 2:13.92.

Ellesmere College Titans swimmer Anderson dropped under the 25-second barrier in the 50m Freestyle for the first time in her career after clocking 24.88.

That was 0.68 seconds clear of Edinburgh University’s Lucy Hope (25.56), while Loughborough University’s Emily Barclay took third in 25.72.

Anderson’s time was 0.18 seconds faster than her previous best of 25.06 that she set at the Flanders Cup in Belgium in January.

Meanwhile Sarah Vasey led a Loughborough one, two, three in a close 100m Breaststroke final.

Vasey clocked 1:07.41 to finish 0.36 seconds ahead of her Loughborough National Centre team-mate Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (1:04.77)

Two medals for Dean

Loughborough University’s Jocelyn Ulyett was third in 1:07.83.

Joe Litchfield also edged out his Loughborough National Centre team-mate in Men’s 100m Backstroke.

Litchfield touched home first in 54.99 – only 0.16 ahead of World Championship bronze medallist Greenbank who record 55.15.

The National Centre Bath duo of Tom Dean and James Guy were involved in a battle for top spot in the 200m Freestyle.

It was Dean who claimed gold in a personal best time of 1:46.03, with Guy 0.76 seconds adrift in second (1:46.79).

Dean was also a bronze medallist in the 200m Individual Medley after finishing in 2:01.49.

University of Stirling’s Duncan Scott took top spot in 1:59.88, while his team mate Mark Szaranek was second in 2:01.05.

Poole’s Jacob Peters was victorious in the 50m Butterfly in 24.08 seconds, while James Wilby was the gold medallist in the 200m Breaststroke after clocking 2:09.47.

In the Men’s 1500m Freestyle, Swansea University’s Daniel Jervis was a comfortable winner, clocking 14:57.92 to take the gold medal by an 7.79 seconds from his nearest challenger, Tobias Robinson (Loughborough National Centre).