By Mark Ashenden

Tancock picked up a gold, two silvers and a bronze in Manchester

Liam Tancock believes Britain can compete for Olympic medals in Beijing, despite the impressive form of the world's top swimmers this year.

An amazing 37 new world records have already been set in 2008, while the GB team won 24 medals at the World Short Course Championships in Manchester.

"There are times that won at the last Olympics that would now struggle to even make a final," he told BBC Sport.

"World swimming has stepped up, but British swimming has also moved on."

It has been a great month for the British team, with 24 new national records at the Olympic trials in Sheffield, as well as the world 50m backstroke mark broken by Tancock.

The World Short Course Championships also saw 44 more British records, but with the 37 world records broken this year, six more than in the whole of 2007, the 22-year-old Loughborough student is very much aware of the sport's rising standards.

"The Australians had a great trials and the Americans will break records everywhere," Tancock, from Exeter, added.

"The Olympics is the biggest stage though and we're all trying to peak then, but it's just fantastic to be in the team and we're definitely on the right track.

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"We're a young team, but the way we're going, I think we'll do well."

And despite the arrival of a new performance director in January, with Australian Michael Scott replacing the controversial Bill Sweetenham, Tancock says the team's preparations have been spot on.

"All of Bill's plans are still being followed through to the Olympics, so very little has changed," Tancock said.

"I know some people had problems with Bill, but I had a great relationship with him. He'll be missed, but Michael is a great guy. It's the same plan, different person."

I don't want to go there just to make up the numbers Liam Tancock

After a hectic few weeks, Tancock's Olympic preparations over the next four months will involve resting his body, competing in some minor meets in Rome and Paris, before heading to the team's holding camp in Japan.

As well as competing in the 200m individual medley, something Tancock calls his "fun event", his main focus at the Olympics will be the 100m backstroke.

"Since making the senior team in 2005, everything has been stepping stones to Beijing," he said.

"I don't want to go there just to make up the numbers. I'm there to race and beat people and the likes of Americans Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are always in the back of your mind.

"But in my event, world record holder Aaron Peirsol is the man to beat. I got bronze behind him at the worlds last year, but everyone's beatable.

"It will be really tight on the day, it will be all down to how people are feeling and how prepared they are."