WIX swimmer Laura Stephens has been in fine form at the European Championships in Budapest.

The 21-year-old booked her place in the women's 200 metres butterfly final after clocking 2:09.39 in her semi-final, finishing fourth.

Stephens had earlier clocked a time of 2:09.15, to finish second in her heat and record the third quickest time overall.

The 200m butterfly final is due to take place this evening.

Stephens has also been in action in the women’s 100m butterfly races.

More of a 200m specialist, Stephens showed she is in good form as she chases a spot on the Olympic team, touching fifth in her race to just miss out on a spot in the final.

Against a world class field she was a really credible 58.45, her second fastest life time swim over this distance.

Stephens had booked her place in the 100m semi-finals with a 58.71 second swim.

Great Britain's Tokyo-bound swimmers are stepping up their preparations for the Olympic Games at the event in Budapest, which runs until Sunday.

All of Great Britain's Olympic team selected so far are competing at the Hungary's Duna Arena.

And the Europeans are also providing the soon-to-be Olympic class of 2021 the chance to further hone their arena skills and build on important training work.

The Budapest meet is also another key qualification opportunity for those who narrowly missed out at the recent British Swimming Selection Trials and will also offer an opportunity for some of the younger names to gain vital major competition experience, with Paris 2024 only three years away.

A further 12 swimmers have been included, in addition to the Olympic squad, meaning a 40-strong swimming team are in Budapest.

National Performance Director Chris Spice said: "This event comes at an opportune moment as we step up our final preparations for Tokyo, bringing the team together for the first time since our announcement on Tuesday.

"Whilst we have enjoyed the experience of domestic racing with the recent Selection Trials and the two meets in Manchester before that, this will be our first time back in international competition in over a year.

"This will be another big step forward, and we fully support and thank LEN and our fellow European national teams for committing to this important racing opportunity.

"We are confident that the protocols and guidance will be in place to ensure the safest possible environment for our athletes, coaches and support staff.

"The European Championships are also another important element in our Olympic selection policy, so the week of racing will be an opportunity for some athletes to put in the performances they need to and that we know they are capable of.

"It is also a key chance to test out our relay squads and seek Olympic qualification where necessary, whilst for the younger members of the squad, it will be a valuable learning experience on their journey into Paris 2024 and beyond.”