Stephen Parry today admitted the British team had been "haunted" by their Sydney failure after claiming a first swimming medal in eight years in Athens.

Parry broke his own British record for the second time in 24 hours to claim the bronze medal in the 200metres butterfly behind teenage sensation Michael Phelps and Japan's Takashi Yamamoto.

It ensured there would be no repeat of the debacle four years ago when the swimmers returned empty-handed for the first time since 1936, making only five individual finals.

And with the 4x200m freestyle relay team also raising morale by coming close to another bronze medal, it raised hopes of better things to come from the second half of the swimming programme.

"It's nice to be the first Brit to get a medal and hopefully there will be more where that came from," said the 27-year-old Liverpudlian.

"We are haunted by our results in Sydney.

"We've had a successful world championships in 2001 and 2003 and a very successful Commonwealth Games but we are always going to be judged in terms of world swimming and by the British public on what we do here.

"It was desperately important to get a medal, we were on the fourth day so it's important to get on a roll and try to do as well as the Australians, Americans and Japanese and I hope that has kick-started it.

"We've got some good swims to come and we are looking forward to it." Parry dedicated his medal, fittingly presented by fellow Olympic medallist HRH Princess Anne, to his father Dave, who contracted shingles last week and was told just 12 hours before he was due to travel to Athens that he was not allowed to fly.

But he also hailed the support from within the British team, which had started to come under pressure following a number of below-par performances.

"We've really had a fantastic team atmosphere, I feel like I am surrounded by 32 brothers and sisters and it's amazing to be part of that sort of team," added Parry, who was only overtaken for silver in the last 50m of a thrilling race.

WALES' Nicole Cooke says she still hasn't decided on whether to compete in the 25km points track race at the Athens Olympics.

Cooke returns to action today hoping to erase memories of Sunday's disappointment in the cycling road race competition where the 21-year-old finished fifth.

She goes today in the time trial event where a medal is again a real possibility but that could be her last involvement at this year's Olympics.

"I still haven't made a decision," she said. "I think I'll decide after the time trial, it doesn't matter that I've left it so late to make up my mind because the training for the points race compliments the road racing."

And Cooke is hoping for a some medal glory today to make up for Sunday's heartbreak. "I put all my efforts into Sunday, but I'll be giving it everything today," said Cooke.

Meanwhile, Simon Cottle and Pete Gardner have made it through to the semi-finals of the men's quad sculls after coming third in the rowing repechage yesterday.

Cottle, from Cardiff and Gardner, a former rower at Monmouth RC are joined by Alan Campbell and Peter Wells in the GB boat and they face Australia, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and Italy in the semi-final.