Australia's Mitch Larkin is on course to win double gold at the World Championships in Kazan after he qualified for the 200m backstroke final as the fastest in the field.

The 22-year-old, who won gold in the 100m backstroke final earlier this week, was second at the first turn.

The Australian was able to pace himself and move ahead in the final 50m to finish the race in first place in 1:54.29, which is his best time of the year.

In the first semi-final, home favourite Evgeny Rylov of Russia clocked 1:55.54 to win, but he will enter the final as fourth fastest.