大象传媒

The swimming at the may have come to an end, but that doesn't mean the swimming programme is over in Beijing.

For the first time in the Olympic programme, will be featured, or Marathon swimming as it is being called by some.

In the world championships there are three disciplines for men and women, the 5k, 10k, and 25k races. has opted for the middle one which is good news for British competitors involved.

, who had to give so much in the heats of the 1500m freestyle that he had nothing much left in the tank for the final, has four days to recover before his assault on the gold medal.

The Welshman has only swum twice competitively in this event, the first time, to see whether he liked it or not, was in South Africa and he won it. Then at the qualification event in Seville in the spring, he was touched out by 0.3secs by Russia's Vladimir Dyatchin in a race that lasted over one hour and 53 minutes.

Davies is rapidly learning the tactics of Open Water swimming. You don't have to deal with flying elbows in an eight lane fifty metre pool, or people cutting across you at markers, akin to Beijing taxi drivers on pedestrian crossings.

Everyone I have talked to about the 10k believes that the conditions will play into the hands of the Briton.

He will race on a smooth rowing lake, not the sea with all its currents and flotsam and jetsam. He is probably the most powerful swimmer in the field and, after missing out on an Olympic medal this time in the pool, will be even more determined not to return home with nothing.

Davies is playing down his chances, protesting that he's a mere novice in this event, but when the Australians start talking of you as the outright favourites - and they know a thing or two about distance swimming - you have to take notice and believe they know what they are talking about.

It's likely to be a Russian standing in the way of getting gold for Great Britain in the equivalent women's race.

Laris Ilchenko is a force to be reckoned with here, winning not only the 10k at the world championships, but the 5k as well.

Patten was only 3secs behind her in Seville and even closer at the corresponding event in Melbourne last year, where the jellyfish seemed to take a distinct liking to her.

No such problems this time and after a superb personal best in the 800m freestyle, won by close friend Becky Adlington, Cassie looks good for a medal of some colour.

Don't discount Stockport Metro team-mate either. She was eighth in Spain, only 12 seconds behind the winner, and her coach, Sean Kelly, believes she is capable of great things in the race, especially after a good showing in the pool last week.

At the moment Britain has three medals to show for its swimming efforts in Beijing. Come the early morning (UK time) on Thursday that tally could well be up to five and we'll possibly be heralding a third gold - riches unimagined four years ago.

Don't let anyone convince you that is not heading in the right direction. There's work still to be done but, compared to eight years ago, it's light years ahead.