Jazz Carlin wants world gold and Rebecca Adlington's British record

Jazz Carlin is a Commonwealth, European and British 800m champion

Welsh swimmer Jazz Carlin says the 800m British record is within her sights as she aims for gold at next week's World Championships in Russia.

The 24-year-old would need to improve her personal best by over a second to beat Rebecca Adlington's record of eight minutes, 14.10 seconds.

"It's a tough British record, obviously set by Becky when she won the Olympics in 2008," said Carlin.

"But it's a good target. I'm going to go out there and do the best I can."

Carlin will also compete in the 400m in Kazan after dominating the recent British Championships, winning the 200m, 400m and 800m titles.

This will be her fourth appearance at the biennial event, but says she has never felt better before a major race.

"I'm in a good place - training's been going well, racing's been going well," said the 2014 Commonwealth, European and British 800m champion.

"Unlike some of the other competitions where I haven't been feeling so confident and not feeling so healthy and fit, I can go into them feeling good and strong."

Can she beat the American sensation?

Katie Ledecky, the American who announced herself to the world as a 15-year-old by winning Olympic gold at the 2012 Olympic Games, will start the race as favourite.

The world's most dominant freestyle swimmer will also compete in the 200m, 400m and 1500m, looking to become the first swimmer to win gold in each of those events at the World Championships.

Her 800m world record, set in 2014, is almost three seconds exactly ahead of Adlington's British record, but Carlin is confident she can put her under pressure.

"She's been swimming some great times," said Carlin, who switched her training base from Swansea to Bath in December.

"She's an incredible athlete and she's still very young. A lot of the girls are chasing her, trying to hunt her down.

"I'm ready for a race and relishing the opportunity to be in a World Championships again. That's what I do all the long hours of training for.

"It will be a good indicator leading into the Rio Olympics next year. You're racing the best in the world and you want to come out on top.

"To come out on top a year before the Olympics would be great for me."