Liam Tancock is relishing taking on the best in the world at the World Short-Course Championships just days after breaking the world record for the 50metres backstroke.
The 22-year-old touched in 24.47seconds at the Olympic trials in Sheffield to eclipse the mark of 24.80secs set by German Thomas Rupprath in July 2003.
Now he must turn his attention to the event in Manchester which starts on Wednesday at the MEN Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe with a 21,000-seat capacity.
Better known for staging concerts, it has been converted to hold two temporary 25-metre pools and the event has attracted a record entry of more than 800 athletes from more than 125 countries for the first world swimming championships to be held in Britain.
The British Olympic trials finished in Sheffield on Sunday and a 38-strong Great Britain squad - many of whom will travel to Beijing - moved across the Pennines, among them Tancock.
The triple world bronze medallist will compete in the 50m and 100m backstroke as well as the 100m individual medley and 200m version.
He admitted he was looking forward to taking on the best in the world and said: "I'd say I'm better at long course (50m) but I enjoy what I do so I'll be out there giving it my best shot.
"It's good for the starts and turns and to be honest race training is brilliant - you race against the fastest in the world.
"It's a fantastic experience and something I love doing. I take a lot from it."
On his world record Tancock admits he has not really absorbed the enormity of his achievement.
He said: "To be honest, it has not really sunk in. It was pretty exciting obviously.
"I felt good in training, I've felt really good over the last few months. I've done some hard work in the pool and the gym.
"About a month ago me and my coach Ben Titley sat down and had a chat and thought I don't need the 200m to be good for my 100m, it would change my race focus.
"It felt really good. I still don't believe it's the perfect race and to come away with the world record is a bit of a bonus."
The 50m backstroke is not an Olympic event and Tancock is hoping it can be added to the programme in time for London 2012.
"I'd like to think so. It almost wouldn't be too difficult to put it in at the end of the one of the sessions and I think a lot of people would enjoy that.
"You see the likes of (freestyler) Mark Foster going on at 37 to 38 - still being high class and I think that would help within British Swimming.
"I'd love to see it at London 2012 and I know that is the case with a few swimmers. We almost think it would be great for it to be there and can't see why it shouldn't.
"It is at the Europeans, the Worlds but not at the Olympics."
Other high-profile swimmers competing in Manchester will be Foster who has qualified for his fifth Olympics, American world backstroke champion and record holder Ryan Lochte, Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe and former breaststroke world record holder Jessica Hardy, of the United States.
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