PLYMOUTH Leander swimmer Ben Proud has reached his first global final.
The 20-year-old Commonwealth Games champion booked his place in the 50m butterfly World Championship final with an impressive semi display on Sunday.
Having qualified 11th overall from the morning heats in 23.58 seconds, Proud knocked more than three tenths of a second off that time to come second in his semi in 23.24.
The University of St Mark and St John pupil, competing at his second World Championships, is ranked sixth going into the final. However, only France’s Florent Manaudou swam under-23s.