Swimming chief: We're catching up

British swimming's national performance director Bill Sweetenham today claimed his home country Australia should expect to win every gold medal at this summer's Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

The disparity between Australia and Britain is massive. Huge investment and outstanding facilities have helped make Australia the most successful swimming nation in the world.

"With their record, they should rightly expect to win every gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in swimming and should they fail to do this, it would be considered less than a desired and expected result," said Sweetenham-The 52-year-old was Australia's head coach at three Olympic Games and coach at five Commonwealth Games before moving to British swimming after the Sydney Olympics.

Not that Sweetenham is pessimistic about the Home Nations' chances in July's Games - the trials for which start in Manchester today.

"Although Great Britain has made huge improvements in the last two or three years, we have not had the unlimited cheap and totally accessible pool space and weather enjoyed by the Australians, nor have we had the estimated-15 million per year funding nor the direct Commonwealth Games and Olympic athlete funding of Australia," he said.

"We will require another 12 years, a massive increase in sponsorship and Government support. Several high-level coaches and sports scientists are also needed to fast-track our results if Britain wishes to match the Australians in eight to 12 years.

"But the Commonwealth Games will give us the opportunity to put ourselves in the top eight in the world. The following year we hope this will be the top four."

The British Championships in Manchester this week will give Sweetenham a good indication. England's selection policy, which is Sweetenham's brainchild, means swimmers who don't perform this week won't go to Manchester. Three English swimmers could be picked for each event but the limitation on numbers means a minority of third-placed swimmers cannot be guaranteed a place until the divers and synchronized swimmers have been selected.

Sweetenham said: "The trials set the scene for the rest of the competitions running up to the Games in July. For the English swimmers, it's a case of do-or-die.

"The fight in Manchester will be our toughest ever, but this week should declare us ready."