Jazz Carlin is on course to defend her European 800metres freestyle title after cruising into Thursday’s final in London.

The Swansea swimmer comfortably won her heat on Wednesday with a time of eight minutes 29.53seconds.

Carlin, 25, triumphed by almost a second from Italy’s Dieletta Carli (8:30.41) with Slovenia’s Tsaja Oder third.

The fastest time of the heats was clocked by Boglarka Kapas in the second heat with 8:27.79 though it was all about qualifying for the final for the Welsh hope.

Carlin struck gold in Berlin two years ago when she also won the 400m and finished third over the longer distance at last year’s World Championships in Russia.

Fellow Swansea swimmer Georgia Davies qualified for Wednesday’s semi-finals of the 100m backstroke with the sixth fastest time of 1:00.84.

Davies, 25, won bronze in the event in the German capital in 2014