Preparing the show in Beijing

The record bonanza at the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2008 -- a total of 18 world records, 40 championships world record and 87 continental record were set in five days of competition -- not only proved that the Championships staged at Manchester's MEN's Arena have been the fastest and most successful ever, but also that most of the world's best swimmers are gaining momentum for the peak competition of the year, the Olympic Games, taking place in Beijing in August.

While some swimming powerhouses choose to not take part in the Championships, or took part with a reduced contingent of swimmers, other countries/regions and their respective swimmers seized the opportunity to use the Championships as a test for their preparation in view of the Olympics and to bounce into the limelight with high-level performances.

That is why we need to put the results from Manchester in context with of the results of the trials that some countries/regions have held just before or soon after the championships in Great Britain. Most of the swimmers mentioned in this article will possibly have the chance to either make an Olympic podium or, at least, an Olympic final.

In Manchester, Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry and USA's Ryan Lochte were the stars of the championships. The pair have not only reiterated their dominance in short course but also sent a clear message that they are on course for gold medals next August.

Coventry managed to break three world records (200-400m IM, 200m backstroke) and win gold in the 100m backstroke as well, in a new championship best of 57.10 (ahead of Ukraine's Kateryna Zubkova who set a European record in 57.15). The Zimbabwean also took bronze in the 100m IM. In the 200m IM Coventry finished in 2:06.13, breaking the oldest short course world record of 2:07.79 (set by US's Allison Wagner in Palma, in 1993). The times of the second and third were also outstanding: Mireia Belmonte (ESP) won the silver in a European record time of 2:07.47, 0.32 seconds inside the old record; Hannah Miley (GBR) set a new British record of 2:08.79.

In the 200m backstroke, Coventry's time was of 2:00.91, 2.33 seconds inside the old world record (set by Japan's Reiko Nakamura in Tokyo, in February 2008). Coventry already holds the 200m long-course world record. UK's Simmonds, who took the silver, also finished inside the previous world record mark, with a time of 2:02.60 (European record).

Lochte won the 100m IM, 200m IM, 400m IM and 4x100m free relay, setting the world record in each of the four events. He also claimed silver in the 200m backstroke and the 4x100m medley relay. In the 200m IM his time was of 1:51.56 (previous record, 1:52.99 from by Laszlo Cseh of Hungary). Moreover, Lochte swam the lead-off leg of the US 4x100m freestyle relay team in 47.09, an American record, helping breaking the world record with a time of 3:08.44 (the Netherlands were second in a European record time of 3:09.18).

The Championships staged at Manchester's MEN's Arena have been the fastest and most successful ever, but also proved that most of the world's best swimmers are gaining momentum for the peak competition of the year, the Olympic Games.

Both Lochte and Coventry must be counted in as serious pretenders for the Olympic podium in both the medley and the backstroke events.

In backstroke, the British emerging star Liam Tancock (GBR) took lustre when he won the 100 metres in 50.14, a European and Commonwealth record, ahead of US short-course specialist and World Cup winner Randall Bal (50.42).

In the men's 100m backstroke, long course, at the German trials, about a week after the conclusion of the Worlds, Helge Meeuw set an European record of 53.10, the third time ever -- behind Aaron Peirsol and Phelps and ahead of Tancock, Vyatchanin and Lochte, becoming himself a strong contender for the Olympic podium

On the 200 metres Austria's Markus Rogan, who is based in Rome, Italy, broke the world record in a time of 1:47.84, beating the old world record by 1.21 seconds. Lochte, who had set the previous record (1:49.05), came narrowly behind with 1:47.91, also inside his old world record.