JOSEF Craig has set his sights on breaking his own world record at the IPC World Championships after claiming the 400m freestyle title at the British International Disability Swimming Championships in Sheffield tonight.

Craig, who was Britain's youngest gold medallist at last summer's Paralympic Games and the joint winner of The Northern Echo's Local Heroes Awards, recorded the qualifying time for the World Championships in Canada as he qualified from the heats of the national championships.

The Jarrow swimmer then underlined his status as one of the leading disability sportsmen in the country as he won the final in a time of 4:43.02.

Craig, who was also crowned national champion in the MC 100m freestyle on Thursday evening, claimed 998 points as he finished 48 points clear of Paralympic 200m individual medley champion Oliver Hynd.

The North-Eastener was pleased to have effectively booked his place on the British squad for the World Championships this summer, but is determined to make history when he competes in Canada in August.

Craig said: “I'm very pleased with the outcome of that race. I made the qualification time for the World Championships in the heats so the pressure was off in the final.

“I thought I'd go in and enjoy it and see what time I could do. That time was just behind my world record, but I want to get faster so next time in Canada, hopefully that will be a world record.”