By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Sydney

Swimming boss Deryk Snelling believes Britain's team could go down as the best ever in Sydney - even if they do not win a medal.

Snelling, who leaves his position as performance director after the Games, insisted on the eve of competition that success or failure should not be decided on medal count.

Britain won two medals in Atlanta four years ago - silver from Paul Palmer in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 1500m freestlye with Graeme Smith - but no women made an individual final.

The Oxford-based head coach reckons a handful of swimmers are in with a chance of a podium finish in the International Aquatic Centre but such will be the fierce competition the squad could come away medalless.

But Snelling is hopeful the 41-strong party - which likes to party too much according to triple jumper Jonathan Edwards in his alleged comments - can confirm Britain's status as a rising nation on the points table that also takes into account the number of finalists.

"We will have a tough time if we are only measured on medal count," said Snelling. "If you look at the points table then you will see a great jump that reflects the greater strength in depth we have now.

"We might have the greatest Games we have ever had without winning a single medal.

"We could win several medals, but we could fail to win any because these Games will go down as a high water mark for swimming. The competition is going to be the toughest it has ever been.

"The medal chances are fairly clear now. We can see what we have and what the rest of the world have.

"I'd say there were five or six events where we are within striiking distance of getting on the podium including three of the relays.

"Our relays are outstanding and I think we will make an impact on that. I am sure we will swim extremely well and be very competitive."

Snelling admitted that Palmer, who launches the challenge in the early hours of Saturday morning British time, faces the biggest test of all in tackling Australia's wonderboy Ian Thorpe.

"If you're talking gold then it should be out of reach," said Snelling of Thorpe, who goes into the 400m freestyle event six seconds quicker than his nearest rival and eight seconds faster than Palmer on 2000 times.

"But if Thorpe makes any mistakes or if anything affects him psychologically and he gets nervous or is affected by the hype flying around him then he is beatable.

"He could be the Mark Spitz of this Olympics, but there are three or four men who are capable of challenging him if they have the greatest day of their lives and Paul is one of them.

"Paul is very confident and he is a great athlete as he has shown so many times over the last few years.

"In other individual events I have got great hopes for Stephen Parry in the 200m butterfly.

"And if James Hickman can just focus and stay relaxed and swim to his potential then he also has an outside chance in the 200m butterfly and the 100m butterfly.

"In the women's events we have got three outstanding women at the moment. Helen Don-Duncan, who is fifth in the world in 100m backstroke, and swimming very well in practice before the Games.

"Sue Rolph has had a great two-and-a half years. We have not seen this year what she can do because she was pre-selected and chose not to swim competitively.

"Alison Sheppard has been swimming well now for over a year and I have a lot of confidence in her, but the 50m freestyle is a wild, wild event and anything can happen.

"It is same with the men's 50m freestyle for Mark Foster. He has had a great two years of short course swimming.

"But in the 50m long course he has got a different tactic to develop and if he can then he has got a great chance in the event."

Snelling, Lancastrian-born but who spent over 30 years in Canada before taking over after Atlanta, in confident he has left the building blocks for Britain to emerge as a major swimming nation in future years.

"We have set it up like it has never been set-up before," he added. "I think I am leaving a legacy of having put everything in place so that Britain can become a dominating nation come 2004.

"We have created national centres, regional centres, set up a university programme and now we are looking at the clubs. We will have the four pillars of strength that will be a match of anything in the world."