Liam Tancock may be making his Olympic debut in Beijing, but with a world record under his belt big things are expected of the backstroke specialist.
23-year-old Tancock will not be given much hope in Beijing as he faces the mighty Michael Phelps in the 200m individual medley, but he is a backstroker by trade and will be a challenger for a medal in the 100m of that discipline.
Tanock heads to Beijing in good spirits after his record-breaking swim in the British Olympic trials back in April when he smashed Thomas Rupprath's 50m-mark of 24.80secs by flying down one length of the Ponds Forge pool in Sheffield in 24.47.
The Loughborough University swimmer became Britain's first world record holder for 18 years since Adrian Moorhouse with his exploits in April and he is one of Team GB's big hopes for a medal in Beijing.
Born in Tavistock, Devon, Tancock began his swimming career with Exeter City before moving up to Loughborugh University where he studies for a sports science degree.
Two golds in the European Youth Olympic Days competition in Spain in 2001 started the ball rolling for Tancock, who then went on to claim European Junior gold in 50m and bronze in the 100m backstroke two years later.
Although Beijing will be his first Olympics, Tancock has plenty of international experience, with two bronze medals at the World Short Course Championships and one at the Long Course equivalent in 2005.
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Tancock won silver medals in the 4x100m medley relay and 50m backstroke while taking gold in the 100m backstroke - the event he will contest in Beijing.
12 months later, back in Melbourne, Tanock claimed two bronze medals in the backstroke events - setting a new British record in the 50m race.
With his improvement still continuing, his world record 50m time came in 2008 and if he can transfer that pace for one more length of the futuristic Beijing Olympic pool then he will have a great chance of becoming also following Moorhouse to the top of the podium and supplying Britain with a first swimming gold medal in 20 years.
