GB's Elizabeth Simmonds fails to reach 200m backstroke final at Worlds

Great Britain's Elizabeth Simmonds has failed to make the 200m backstroke final at the World Championships in Kazan after finishing seventh in her semi-final.

The 24-year-old was slightly off the pace of the top three after the first 100m, and despite usually having a strong swim down the back-end, she could only touch the wall seventh in 2:10.57.

Missy Franklin, who won six World medals at Barcelona 2013, paced herself in the other semi-final to maintain a top-three position after the second turn.

It was comfortable in the end for the American 20-year-old as she beat the field to win in 2:07.79, just minutes after competing in the 100m freestyle final, in which she placed seventh.

Overall, Franklin qualified third fastest for tomorrow's final, with Hungary's Katinka Hosszu fastest with 2:06.18 and Australia's Emily Seebhom second.