By Andrew Fraser BBC Sport in Athens

Parry wins butterfly bronze Foster: Parry breaks the ice

Stephen Parry admitted there was a small part of him that felt disappointed he had not beaten American wonderboy Michael Phelps to win Olympic gold.

But the feeling did not last long as Parry revelled in the euphoria of ending Britain's eight-year swimming medal drought with bronze in the men's 200m butterfly.

After three dismal days in the pool, Bill Sweetenham's charges finally had something to shout about as the Union Flag fluttered over the Olympic Aquatic Centre.

But Parry revealed he might not have been around to provide the lift his team-mates so desperately needed if he had gone with the urge to hang up his goggles three years ago.

"I was having a terrible year. I didn't win the Commonwealths in 2002 and in 2003 I came fourth at the world championships," he said.

When you are involved in something like that all you want to do is carry on. Parry holds off retirement

"But I tell you what, I don't care now. It's all about the Olympics, and if you get an Olympic medal it's fair to say you've reached a very high standard in your sport.

"It's something to be proud of."

Parry, who came into the Games ranked sixth in the world, had not expected to be the one to lift British morale.

The 27-year-old scraped into the semi-finals by the skin of his teeth after qualifying 16th and last.

But a stunning swim saw him book a central lane for the final, edging out Phelps in his heat to qualify fastest.

Phelps had his revenge when it really mattered, but Parry hung on to claim bronze behind Japan's Takashi Yamamoto.

This is what I've worked for all my life Stephen Parry

It was a new Commonwealth record, and he beamed as he received his medal from Princess Anne.

His bronze was the first British Olympic swimming medal since Parry's Stockport Metro team- mate Graeme Smith took bronze in the 1500m freestyle on the final night of competition in Atlanta in 1996.

Parry admitted Britain's swimmers had been "haunted" by their results in Sydney four years ago, where they qualified for just five finals.

"We had very successful world championships in 2001 and 2003, and a very successful Commonwealth Games," he said.

"But we were always going to be judged by the British public in terms of what we do here.

"It was desperately important for us to get a medal. I want to be part of a successful GB swim team and a successful GB team on the whole.

"Hopefully when I got home a week on Sunday I can look back and say 'I did my bit and we had a great medal haul'."

Parry singled out his room-mate James Gibson, who put aside his disappointment at failing to win a medal in the 100m breaststroke to urge him on to a medal.

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But he saved a special mention for his father Dave, who was told just before the Games that he would not be able to travel to Athens for health reasons.

"He is a brilliant father. I owe him so much. He will probably ask 'you qualified fastest, why did you come third?'," joked Parry.

Parry had planned to make Athens his Olympic swansong.

But he said: "It's really tough because when you are involved in something like that all you want to do is carry on.

"It is a horrible, horrible thing to be out there but the most beautiful thing as well.

"You are basically standing there in front of as many people as you can saying 'this is me, I'm putting everything on the line and this is what I've worked for all my life'.

"I honestly believe I left the best Steve Parry could be in the pool. I'm not about to turn around and say 'I think I'm going to be Olympic gold medallist'.

"This tops it all off and it's a fairytale ending for me."