Halsall is one to watch - Foster

Former British swimmer Mark Foster believes Fran Halsall is the woman to watch in the Olympic pool this summer.

Halsall will compete in the 100 metre butterfly, 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle at London 2012, and according to the six-time short course 50m world champion, has a great chance of winning gold for Team GB.

Foster, who specialised in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle in his highly decorated career of 22 years, believes everyone will be talking about Halsall after the Games.

"Francesca Halsall is going to be a big name coming out of these Olympics," Foster told Press Association Sport.

"She's got three events and if she does what we all hope, Francesca has got a very good chance.

"It's easier said than done and you can't say she's nailed on, but the Olympic Games is a funny place."

Foster also believes Rebecca Adlington and Kerri-ann Payne will add to the medals they won in Beijing four years ago.

Adlington swam to gold in the 400m and 800m freestyle while Payne claimed silver in the 10 kilometre marathon.

"It's the strongest team I think we've had going into an Olympic Games on paper," Foster said.

"You can always compare with games gone past but we've got the most chances of standing on the podium that we've ever had. The women's team is probably the second or third best team in the world at the moment."