By Liz Byrnes in Glasgow

Dan Jervis went second on the British all-time list behind 2004 bronze medallist David Davies after unleashing a fine solo 1500m freestyle at the British Swimming Championships in Glasgow.

The City of Swansea Aquatics athlete swam the entire race alone to touch in a new personal best of 14mins 46.51secs –  0.56secs outside the time that propelled fellow Welshman Davies to third place in Athens.

It was comfortably inside the time required for selection to the Great Britain team for the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, this summer.

Jervis was seven when Davies set that British record and he believes the fact it has stood for so long is evidence of how monumental an effort it was.

He said: “David Davies was a legend, wasn’t he? I didn’t watch him when he did the 1500 but if that was 15 years ago just think what that time would have been then.

“That is a testament to him and his coach back then.

“Me and my coach we have got a lot to work on before then and I will be going after that time – maybe not the next competition but definitely in the future.”

The 22-year-old was by himself from the start, out in 26.87 and his splits metronomic before rattling home with the only sub 30-second final 50, lapping William Bell in second by 35.32secs.

As after his 400m free win on the opening night, Jervis admitted to nerves although this evening ended with a seat on the plane.

“I am really pleased with that,” he said. “I did that race on my own: there are a lot of talented boys in that pool. Every single person who has swum in this competition is very talented and today was my day fortunately for me.

“But I was really happy with it, I just had to keep focused and I was so nervous. I get nervous about anything but then I was really, really nervous as I know I have got a lot of pressure on myself. But I was happy with it.”

Looking on and cheering was Rio 2016 double medallist Jazz Carlin, who knows a thing or two about making the step from domestic to international waters.

Jervis knows that competing against the world’s best brings a whole different set of challenges, saying: “That is going to be a totally different environment. There are going to be a lot more people, there are going to be a lot more people to race as well – a lot better guys than me.

“You never know what is going to happen in an environment like that. I haven’t competed in that many international competitions so every competition I go to is a learning experience for me just for next year.”

Commonwealth champion Alys Thomas dipped inside the consideration time in the 200m butterfly.

The 28-year-old could not be separated from Laura Stephens of Plymouth Leander after the first 50 but she pulled away to win in 2:07.40 with a margin of 0.56secs.

It was faster than the time that won her European bronze in the same pool last summer and she was satisfied with her evening’s work.

“Really pleased,” she said. “It was a season’s best and brings me back to where I was at Europeans.

“I did three 2:07s at Europeans so I am pleased to be back there already.

“I think the aim for me is to keep progressing every time I swim it, no backward swims as it were, and just get faster each time this season.”

Thomas, a Swansea Aquatics teammate of Jervis, was not looking too far ahead given selection is not guaranteed but at the mercy of the selectors.

If picked, Thomas will be looking to improve on her 13th place at the last World Championships in Budapest in 2017.

“It’s a consideration time so we’ll have to wait and see but it would be my second worlds.

“My last one in Budapest I was sick so I didn’t feel like I got to swim to my full potential.

“So I will be going up and giving it a good go if I go.”