GB swimmers feel heat

By Phil Gordos
BBC Sport in Athens

Price's injury is part of a deepening malaise

Great Britain swimming coach Bill Sweetenham talked about "kicking the ghost of Sydney into oblivion" before the pool action got under way in Athens.

But the haunting spectre of four years ago, when Team GB returned home with no swimming medals, is reluctant to go quietly.

It is not yet panic stations inside Camp Sweetenham, but the pressure is definitely building after the first two days of competition failed to yield a podium finish.

James Gibson and Darren Mew have been the best hopes of a medal so far but could only finish sixth and seventh respectively in the final of the men's 100m breaststroke.

And salt was rubbed into the British wounds when Sarah Price's bid for a place in the women's 100m backstroke final was dashed by an underwater camera.

Sweetenham insisted publicly before the Games began that just two medals would be a decent return as Britain seeks to rebuild after the debacle of Sydney.

But the feeling from those in the know was that five medals was a realistic target.

Marshall is the fastest in the world this year in the 200m freestyle

With two full days gone and the Brits highly unlikely to break their medal duck on day three, Sweetenham may have been right to play down his team's chances.

Privately, though, the 54-year-old Australian is sure to be getting a little tense.

Nick Gillingham, a former world number one in the 200m breaststroke and a double Olympic medallist, hopes tempers are not getting too frayed.

"The swimmers will start to feel the heat but we've got to stay cool," he told the BBC Sport website.

"It's important not to start putting too much pressure on them because they won't be able to perform at their best if they are uptight."

Gillingham admits the atmosphere around the pool has gone a little flat for the Brits, some of whom are his former team-mates.

But the former world record-holder, who won silver in Seoul and bronze in Barcelona, hopes they can stay positive as the tension rises.

Cooke is fancied for the 800m freestyle

"You've got to believe you can win a medal because the Olympic environment is very unforgiving," he said.

Britain have proved they can win gold in major championships, with Gibson and Katy Sexton tasting success at the Worlds last year.

But the Olympics are another level, where four years of training either comes to glorious fruition or ends in crushing disappointment.

Gibson and Mew admitted they were gutted to miss out on a medal, while Price found it hard to choke back the tears.

But Melanie Marshall and Stephen Parry can help lift the gloom on Tuesday.

Marshall secures semi spot

Marshall is the fastest woman in the world this year in the 200m freestyle, while Parry has clocked the fourth best time in the 200m butterfly.

Sexton is also a good bet for a medal in the 200m backstroke later in the week, having won that event at the World Championships.

And Ian Edmond in the 200m breaststroke, David Davies in the 1500m freestyle and Rebecca Cooke in the 800m freestyle could also finish on the podium.

The Brits still have plenty to swim for but a medal would help soothe the nerves as they look to banish the evil spirits of 2000.