The French City of Edinburgh coach, Fred Vergnoux, has been endorsed as one of the UK's best with his elevation to the British swimming Leadership Group which will guide Olympic preparations for Beijing.

He joins UK performance director Michael Scott and coach Ben Titley in the group following the announcement of the departure of head coach Ian Turner to New Zealand.

Vergnoux is already assured of having Edinburgh's Kirsty Balfour in the team. He helped her to silver in the 200m breaststroke at last year's World Championships in Melbourne, and also looks after double Commonwealth Games champion Gregor Tait and breaststroke record holder Kris Gilchrist.

European bronze medallist Gilchrist insists he has not yet turned his attention to China, because of a busy schedule which sees him compete in three major events in a month.

With James Gibson and Chris Cook posting fast times he knows there's hot competition in the GB squad. He hopes to improve on his 200m breaststroke bronze from the European Championships in Eindhoven two years ago, before returning for the British Championships and Olympic trials in Sheffield which double as the Olympic trials. Then he heads for the World Short Course Championships in Manchester.

Vergnoux, who is currently training in Teneriffe, has British caps Rob Lang, David Leith, and Megan Gilchrist in his Edinburgh squad. They'll also be chasing Olympic selection at the trials. His wife, former world champion Alena Pop-chanka, is in the Edinburgh set-up and will swim for France in Beijing.