FERNDOWN Otters teenager Alex Savage's burgeoning international career suffered its first setback last night (Thursday) when the first British senior title she won last year slipped from her grasp.

The 17-year-old was the sixth British finisher in the final of the 200m individual medley at Stockport and will now have to rely on the 100m butterfly to earn her a trip to the European short course championships in Dublin in December.

But her more experienced Otters team mate Karen Legg looks on course to qualify from tonight's final of the 100m freestyle of the British short course championships.

The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in this event won both her heat and semi-final in times of 55.02 and 55.37.

The other semi-final was significantly faster making Legg only the sixth fastest qualifier into the final - although two of the faster five were guest swimmers from Australia and Canada.

Legg, who needs to finish among the first three Britons tonight to book her ticket to Dublin, said: "I was a little disappointed that the semi-final time was slower than the heat, but it will be nice to have an outside lane for the final.

"It may have been that I wore a longer-legged bodysuit in the semi and my legs might have been too high in the water. I may have been overkicking."

Queen Elizabeth's School sixth former Savage started as favourite for the 200m individual medley of the British short course championships in Stockport.

And she looked the part in the heats with only the Canadian guest swimmer Jennifer Fratesi faster.

Savage went into the final knowing she had only to finish among the first three Britons to guarantee selection.

But in the afternoon final she was unable to match her morning performance.

After turning first at 25m, she gradually slipped back through to field to finish eighth in 2:17.05.

Savage, who made her world championships debut in the medley relay final in Barcelona last month, said: "I felt terrible before the final. I've had a bad chest since the heats. Whether it was the chlorine or the hot weather I don't know.

"But I don't want to make excuses. I just have to put this behind me, lift myself and make sure I get in the first three in the 100m butterfly."