Rebecca Cooke and Joanne Jackson celebrate success in the 400m Free

Bill Sweetenham saw GB swimmers win seven golds, six silvers and a bronze at the European short-course championships in Dublin last week.

And Sweetenham, the national performance director, insists his stern regime is proving effective.

"This has been about identifying the character of the team," he said. "I think this team's got great character."

"There is a rising tide. There's a new bunch, an awakening of a new era in British swimming and it's going from strength to strength.

We want major improvements from where we were at Sydney Bill Sweetenham, GB national performance director

"The gap between us and the rest of the world is closing."

Sweetenham put his team under extreme pressure in the build up to Dublin and admitted he was not happy to finish behind Germany in the medal table.

"We got beaten by the Germans, so I can't be happy about that," said the Australian.

"It brings me no satisfaction. Second is like fourth or ninth."

However, Sweetenham forecast a "good" Olympic year in 2004 despite the power and depth of the Australian and American squads.

He said: "Obviously we want major improvements from where we were at Sydney.