Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Hi folks,

What a for Team GB at the Olympics, unfortunately for me though won by Britain in Beijing over the last few days.

I'm gutted I couldn't at least emulate my but swimming two world-class 1500m times in 36 hours was too much of an ask.

My qualifying swim of 14 minutes 14 minutes 46.11 seconds was me at the top of my game.

Phew!

Thankfully, .

It only seems like yesterday that I was in my , now I'm preparing for another one!

Qualifying for an Olympic final is the culmination of much hard work so I'm obviously elated but, in all honesty, I'm more relieved as my 1500m form going into Beijing wasn't great.

Greetings from the Far East,

Just call me David Davies, friend of the stars!

I've been hanging out in the Olympic village with some basketball heroes and the great Michael Phelps, the new Olympic gold medal record holder.

I was chilling out the other day when the United States' basketball 'Dream Team' strutted over as naturally and , two icons of American sport, would want to spend their down-time with a boy from Barry!

Oh, what's occurring?

The Team GB swim squad have arrived in Beijing, I've checked into the Olympic village and the tingle down my spine means my Games experience has started - and the tension is palpable.

So to ensure I keep my focus and my nerve, I've asked my good mates Gavin and Stacey to keep me chilled out as Olympic D-Day approaches.

Bore da guys, welcome to my first postcard from the Far East.

The excitement of an Olympic Games is finally starting to build for me as the British swim team arrived in our pre-Beijing training camp in the Japanese city of Osaka over the weekend.

Seeing the whole team in our Olympic kit on the plane over here has sparked the buzz for me - but the adrenaline really starts pumping when you check into the Olympic village and see the athletes from the other nations.

I can't wait for that.

After months and months of gruelling training - where I swim on average 80km a week - the purpose for that intense preparation is now in touching distance.

I won 1500m freestyle swimming bronze at the Athens Olympics four years ago.

Since then I've won two world championship long course bronze medals, European silver and Commonwealth gold over the distance.

I'm also racing in the new 10km marathon open water event after finishing second in the World Open Water Championships qualifying race.