Simmonds sees Europeans as London 2012 stepping stone

By Ben Baker, Sportsbeat

LIZZIE Simmonds admits next month's European Championships will be more of a fact-finding mission than a medal hunt - but insists that will be a one-off with the London 2012 Olympics now just two years away.

TWO YEARS TO GO: Lizzie Simmonds will be a force to be reckoned with at London 2012 if her progress continues along these lines (Getty Images)

Simmonds made her European debut as a fresh-faced 15-year-old in Budapest back in 2006 finishing fifth, ninth and 20th in the 200m, 100m and 50m backstrokes respectively.

Now 19, Simmonds - who claimed European 4x100m medley relay gold in 2008 - will return to the banks of the Danube in the coming weeks having scooped double British gold back in March.

Simmonds' season's bests - set at the British Championships - in the 100m and 200m rank her as the fastest and second fastest swimmer respectively in the world this year.

However, with those performances also qualifying her for October's Commonwealth Games, Simmonds admits she will experiment in Hungary in order to be best prepared for Delhi and also 2012.

"It is fair to say the European Championships aren't my main priority of the year because that is the Commonwealths," said Simmonds. "For other European countries the European Championships will probably be their major meet but for us it isn't.

"But it will still be an important competition, I will only have a few days rest beforehand, if any at all, so it will be good to see how my body reacts and where I am looking ahead to the Commonwealths.

"The Europeans are going to be good as a bit of a practice session to see how my body reacts and I am sure I will find out a lot about myself.

"I haven't really set myself any solid targets for the Europeans but that doesn't mean that we won't be going looking to win because if you don't do that then there is no point in turning up."