Swimming: Honour before glory for Kris

EDINBURGH swimmer Kris Gilchrist expects to be swimming against the tide at August's European Championships after admitting he'll be motivated by honour over glory in Hungary.

The 26-year-old was officially named as one of 35 swimmers bound for Budapest at a British Swimming warm-weather training camp in Mallorca this week.

With his main aim of the season to claim Commonwealth gold in October, Gilchrist will head to the Europeans still in training for the Delhi Games.

But with the rest of the continent set to arrive in Hungary firing on all cylinders, the Paris-based breaststroke specialist insists he'll do all he can to defend the good name of British Swimming. "I want to go to the Europeans and perform, the British swimmers are not going to want to go there and get absolutely trounced by everyone else," said Gilchrist. "We don't want British Swimming to get a bad reputation for having an awful meet."

"At the forefront of everyone's mind is the Commonwealths but that will be a positive thing because we know the Europeans is the last major prep meet."

The two guaranteed berths for the Delhi Games will be dished out at the British Gas Scottish National Championships next month.

• THE nation's leading energy supplier British Gas is the Principle Partner of British Swimming, and have pledged 15m to support the sport at all levels - from paddling pool to podium. For more information visit www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming