Arvudh returned to Thailand yesterday after sharpening his skills with coach Mike Bottom at Berkeley University in San Francisco since May. After two weeks in the US, he joined the university team, which included swimmers from all over the world. They called themselves the "World Sprint Team" and took part in meets around Europe for one month.

During this time he said he gained a lot of experience since he had to live and practise with people he had never known before, among them some of the world's top swimmers.

"Thailand is not well known in swimming," he said. "At first it was tough and very tiring, but I tried hard to adapt. I felt that I had done quite well and I'm getting better and better. "I'm now ready physically and mentally for the Doha Games," he said.

Asked about the coming Asian Games, Arvudh admitted he is under some pressure

after winning at the last SEA Games.

Not only has he won two gold medals in a row at the SEA Games, he is also the record holder in the 50m freestyle with a time of 22.98 seconds after beating Indonesian Richard Sambera's previous mark of 23.03. He has becomes Thailand's big hope in the pool in Doha.

"The 50m event is a very short race," he said. "Anything can happen. I don't want to concentrate only on the finish line, but I have to concentrate from the start.

"I feel a little stressed about it, but all I want is to do my best. Therefore, I won't regret the outcome."

He will be competing in the Pan Pacific tournament in Canada in mid-August, his first test after two months of training in the US.

Waree Theptoranintra

The Nation