Olympics 2008

It has traditionally been the least glamorous event in the programme - from the layman's point of view at least - but the Olympic 1500m swimming final could turn out to be the most exciting of the lot.

In the past the masters of the 30-length discipline have been rather marginalised, with the exception of Australia where it is still the event in the pool.

TV companies like to cut to the chase, almost literally, and show the last 200 at best and shorter if they can get away with it. That shows scant regard for the sports' hardest-working competitors.

The 1500m freestyle is the equivalent of Test cricket, whereas the 50 free can be equated with a Twenty20 match. Yes, at times, five-day cricket is a little uninspiring, but the climax can often be more captivating than its hit-and-hope offspring. The same is most certainly true for the 1500 free.

It will, I predict, produce the most enthralling finish at the back end of the swimming programme with as many as half a dozen swimmers battling it out for three medals. The margin between the gold, silver and bronze medallists may be only a couple of seconds following 15 minutes of action.

From a domestic point of view will the pride of Barry, David Davies, bronze-medallist in 2004, be one of them?

Opinions that I have sought in British swimming are deeply divided. Some think he might miss out in the shake up as Davies' sprint finish is not as good as the likes of Olympic champion Grant Hackett, or European champion Yuri Prilukov.

Others believe he's getting more tactically aware, stronger with every swim and - let's not forget - since 2004 he has collected a medal at every major long-course event he's competed at.

This year the 23-year-old has moved up a step on the medal podium in picking up a silver at the Europeans and, in doing so, beat world champion Mateusz Sawrymowicz.

The joker in the pack could be American Erik Vendt. He recently clocked 14.46.78 at the Santa Clara International event, which is certain to spur on US team-mate, Olympic silver medallist Larsen Jensen, with the American trials coming up at the end of June.

The other intriguing thing about that is Jensen is not guaranteed to go to Beijing, as another of the stars-and-stripes brigade, Peter Vanderkaay, clocked 14 minutes 52 seconds in April.

Fifteen minutes used to be the benchmark for world-class times in the men's 1500 metres freestyle but anything over 14min 45sec is unlikely to be good enough to collect a medal.

Have I whetted your appetite yet? Put your pre-conceptions about 30 lengths of swimming to one side and get ready for what promises to be a real thriller.