The North Shore swimmer Daniel Bell has topped the 200 metres backstroke qualifiers in the second day of heats at the national championships in west Auckland.
The Beijing olympian was on schedule for a Commonwealth Games qualifying swim at
the 150m mark before easing off to finish in 2:03.96 ahead of Garethb Kean (Capital) and Corey Main (Howick Pakuranga).
The championships double as the official Commonwealth Games Trials, where qualifying times for New Delhi must be set in the evening finals.
Another Olympian Hayley Palmer was fastest in the women's 50m freestyle while fellow North Shore swimmer William Benson was fastest in the men's 100 freestyle.
Tonight's women's 100m backstroke is shaping up as a highlight with national record-holder Emily Thomas fastest from North Shore clubmates Melissa Ingram and Jessie Blundell.
