It will be mixed emotions for City of Edinburgh trio Gregor Tait, Kirsty Balfour and Kris Gilchrist when they slip into their British swimsuits for the Olympic Games in Beijing.

For all three, it will be a career highlight, but they also know that it will be the last time that they exhibit the skills that have been honed through a scheme born 12 years ago at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

City of Edinburgh's funding will cease at the end of August, and so all three - along with the rest of the talented squad - will be seeking pastures new. Gregor is contemplating a trip to Australia, Kirsty gets married in October and Kris, who is fully committed to going on to compete at London 2012, will be looking for a new training base.

But enough of the emotional break-up. In Beijing, it will all be about performing to a highest level, and making a bold bid for the sporting dream of an Olympic medal.

Edinburgh's head coach, Fred Vergnoux - he will be moving on to a new job with La Gardere Paris Racing at the end of September - is delighted that the Games build-up has passed without illness or injury and now it is all about "doing it on the day."

Here is the run down on the threesome. Kirsty has shown she has what it takes to perform at the highest level, winning the 200m breaststroke at the 2006 European Championship and adding a silver medal from the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne.

Over the past year or so, she admits her form has been "a bit mixed", and Vergnoux frankly admitted: "I've no idea how Kirsty is going to do at the Games. She's very fit and has swum very fast in training.

"Really it is up to her and how she copes with the pressure on the day. But she's shown in the past that she can do it."

Gregor, as with Kirsty, is competing in his second Olympics. At 29, he is the veteran of the ten Scots in the GB squad. A double Commonwealth Games Champion, it is his experience that could be the key.

"I'm confident that Gregor can make the final in the 200m backstroke, but he'll have to drop his time quite considerably to make the podium. But you never know. He's very happy, and his focus has been very good," said his coach.

Gilchrist is the fast-improver of the three, and he readily concedes that it is London 2012 when he expects to reach his peak. But Beijing could yet prove to be a scintillating warm-up.

"London has always been my main focus, but I hope to perform well in Beijing," said Kris, the British record holder in the 200m breaststroke.

Vergnoux views Kris as someone who really must take things one step at a time. "Kris is very fit and has swum very strongly all season and I know he's ready for the challenge," he said.

"The key will be to make the final with the minimum amount of stress. If he gets there then he's definitely got a chance to medal."

The Edinburgh trio flew out with the seven other Scottish swimming Olympians - Hannah Miley, David Carry, Robbie Renwick, Caitlin McClatchey, Euan Dale, Todd Cooper and Andrew Hunter - to their training camp in Osaka, Japan towards the end of July. Then it is on to Beijing.

At the end of August, Gregor, Kirsty and Kris will have to make decisions about their futures - good performances in China could sway opinion.

EB
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