Our swimmers simply didn't get it right

The Olympics are still in full swing and here I am competing at the National Championships along with the British swimming team, who are back from the Games.

Their spirits are down. Most are miserable about their performances and this low feeling is compounded by the fact they had to come back and swim at these championships in Manchester.

I know I have said it before, but I really think Bill Sweetenham's tough regime needs to lighten up; there has to be a cut-off point at some stage. The team have worked hard for four years to prepare for last week and there has to be some down time.

You can't say they didn't perform well and so don't deserve it. Anyway, if they had come back with 10 gold medals they would have had to compete here to qualify for the world and European short-course championships (which take place in a 25m pool instead of the Olympic 50m length). A lot of people will start losing respect for Sweetenham unless he changes. The team has had three good years but when it really, really counted we didn't get it right.

Personally, though, I am very happy. Unlike at the Olympic trials, I made the qualifying time yesterday for the 50m freestyle and was only .25seconds off the world record. It is just a shame I wasn't able to do that last week - in the Olympic final. But at least it has proved what I have said all year, which is come the summer I will be ready to swim fast. What is the point of doing great times in April?

Look at Kelly Holmes - she wasn't performing well earlier in the year and she has won Olympic gold.

Kelly was awesome in the 800m. It was a superb performance, definitely the highlight of the Games so far for me. I wouldn't be surprised if she does the double and wins the 1500m.