Liam to get 2012 Olympics taster from Duel in the Pool

WORLD 50m backstroke champion Liam Tancock insists locking horns with the United States at the British Gas Duel in the Pool will provide the perfect dress rehearsal for London 2012.

The 24-year-old Exeter star, who smashed the world record twice en-route to claiming gold in Rome, will join forces with the finest swimmers from Germany and Italy in the inaugural Ryder Cup-style event.

Tancock will form part of a 12-strong British Gas Swimming Team home contingent, which will also include Beijing double gold medallist Rebecca Adlington.

And with 14-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps spearheading the US challenge, Tancock is expecting an electric atmosphere inside the Manchester Aquatics Centre on Friday and Saturday.

"It's great to have a home crowd cheering you on and that's what it's going to be like at London 2012, so this will give us a good taste," said Tancock, who swam for hometown club Exeter City at the weekend.

"Of course there will be Michael Phelps coming as well and it will be great to see him in action in the UK before the London Olympics.

"We have a pretty strong squad. Great Britain have been doing very well over the last couple of years so I think we will do ourselves proud.

"It's going to be a great experience. I don't know how it will work — I've obviously met a lot of the swimmers from the other countries but I don't speak much German or Italian.

"But swimming is one of those sports where everyone tends to be really friendly."

The 2003 junior European champion over 50m claimed gold, double silver and bronze on his last trip to Manchester at the World Short Course Championships in April 2008.

But with seven-time world champion Aaron Peirsol and Phelps also in attendance in Manchester, Tancock admits he'll be hard pushed to repeat the heroics of 18 months ago.

"I've got fond memories of competing in Manchester," added Tancock.

"It's always nice to get a personal best and so I'd love to do that, but who knows. I'm going to be racing against some of the best swimmers in the world.

"I'm likely to come up against the likes of Aaron Peirsol and he is a fantastic swimmer, one of the best in the world, and so it should be a great test.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it — I've got a good block of training behind me and I'm just going out there to have fun."

British Gas and British Swimming. The nation's leading energy supplier, British Gas, is the principal partner of British Swimming, supporting the sport at all levels, from paddling pool to podium. For more information visit www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming.

See Saturday's Echo Sport for a report on Exeter City's showing at the National Swimming League Western Premier Division final.