SOUTHPORT swim star Fran Halsall became the fastest woman in the world over 100m yesterday – despite gliding in to the finish line!

The 21-year-old was in a class of her own at the British Gas ASA National Championships in Sheffield, finishing two body lengths ahead in 53.61seconds.

It sent her to the top of the world rankings for 2011, 0.09secs ahead of Dutchwoman Femke Heerskerk.

Halsall set her sizzling time in the morning heats, and because she has already qualified for the World Championships in Shanghai did not swim in the evening’s final.

Halsall was returning to the pool little more than 15 hours after being pipped by 0.01secs by Jemma Lowe in the 100m butterfly.

It means the Loughborough student will concentrate solely on the freestyle events at next month’s World Championships, two years after winning the silver medal over 100m in Rome.

There were contrasting fortunes for double Olympic medallist David Davies, however, who announced he would not be competing at next month’s World Championships because of form and fitness issues.