Zoe Baker Britain's only world record holder is hoping to represent New Zealand at next month's World Cup meet in Berlin.

The twenty-seven year old Commonwealth champion for the 50m breaststroke followed her coach Kim Swanwick to New Zealand in 1996. Although she still represented Great Britain she took up New Zealand citizenship four years later.

The 50m specialist travelled to and from New Zealand to gain selection for Great Britain and England at the World, European and Commonwealth Games respectively. Her medal winning streak started in 1999 when she won silver at the European Championships she followed it up with gold at the European Short Course Championships later in the year.

At both the 2001 and 03 World Championships she finished in bronze position and squeezed in between was bronze at the World Short Course Championships. But her best swim came in the semi-final at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 when she lowered the World record with a swim of 30.31sec. She went on to collect gold in 30.60sec.

Baker requires clearance from British swimming to change countries. At the Auckland Open Championships Baker who lives in Christchurch twice dipped under the New Zealand national record on her way to taking the title. Auckland Swimming has applied to Swimming New Zealand to have her times of 32.12 and 31.84sec ratified as New Zealand records.