SWIMMING: Ipswich swimmer Zoe Cray looks set to miss out on a place in the British team for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.Cray came third in last night's 50m backstroke event at the British Championships, which also double as the Commonwealth Trials.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH swimmer Zoe Cray looks set to miss out on a place in the British team for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

Cray came third in last night's 50m backstroke event at the British Championships, which also double as the Commonwealth Trials.

But, crucially, she finished in 29.98 and, since the qualifying time was set at 29.42, it was a disappointing outcome.

But Ipswich Swimming Club team-mate Karen Pickering, a former Commonwealth champion, can look ahead with confidence to her fourth Games.

Her victory in last week's 200m freestyle final, when she clocked a time just three tenths of a second outside her personal best, makes her a virtual certainty for inclusion.

Pickering, 30, collected gold in the 100m freestyle event in 1994 – and struck gold again as a member of the victorious 4 x 100m freestyle relay team.

Cray was hoping to join her in the 52-strong British team that will be confirmed on May 8, a day after the diving events are completed.

But last night's result makes it virtually certain that she will not be returning to the Manchester Aquatics Centre in July.

A press conference is scheduled to take place this evening, when more details about the selection policy will be announced.