Lisa Chapman believes her first senior international medal will springboard her to Commonwealth Games glory.

She fast-tracked her way into Britain's Olympic swimming team in Athens after coming back from a two-year retirement in 2003.

And the Flimwell flyer is convinced the silver she struck in the 100m individual medley in an English record 1min.00.88sec at the European Shortcourse Championships last week will help maintain the momentum as she makes up for lost time.

Chapman will feed on her taste of success in Vienna when she takes part in trials for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games in the New Year. And the sprinter believes she will be ready to achieve her Commonwealth medal goal in Melbourne in 2006.

She said: "I can't tell you whether making it to the Olympics in Greece or winning the European silver is better. They are two separate things.

"Certainly it was a dream, like it is for everybody, to go to the Olympics, but an individual medal is a big change from finishing sixth in a relay, which is what I did in Athens.

"It was brilliant to put the medal around my neck, it was a significent moment. I had set myself the goal of winning a medal, no matter what metal, and I did it.

"I had set myself the goal of making the Olympics and achieved it, so achieving a second gives me the confidence to feel I can achieve a third in Melbourne.

"I will try to do the best I can to reach the World Championship but it is the Commonwealths where I have a more realistic chance. I will keep my head down and make sure I make the team.

"But producing fast times in the world trials around March will help me hang on to my Lottery grant. You have to be in the top 25 in the world and I aim to be that in 50m and 100m freestyle.

"I had my doubts in the past about swimming but now I'm totally committed to it. I'm progressing in big steps."

Chapman, though, revealed her plans could have been wrecked by a freak injury. She nearly had to pull out of the Europeans because of an ankle ligament problem that left her on crutches.

A broken hand had ruled her out of last year's competition.

She said: "I was on holiday in France after Athens and fell awkwardly and the ankle swelled up like a tennis ball.

"It would have been pretty ironic to miss the Europeans again. It was touch and go. It was only a couple of weeks before Vienna that I knew I'd be fit enough to go."

It has been a roller-coaster year for the former Hastings Seagull, 20, who presented the annual club prizes on Saturday to would-be successors.

This time last year Chapman was preparing to celebrate Christmas with dad John, mum Jill and brother Paul at the family home.

It seemed her father would survive leukaemia and her swimming was back on course for Athens. But Chapman's world fell part when her father had a relapse and passed away on June 9.

The emotional turmoil that was going through her could have extinguished the Olympic flame but the words of her father, plus the support of family and friends, enabled her to banish any thoughts of missing the Games.

She said: "It was a hard, hard time. I held my dad's hand hours before he died and he gave me a thumbs up when the Olympics was mentioned.

"He had always told me not to stop doing what I wanted to do because of him, that there were enough people caring for him. I'd dreamed of being in the Olympics since I was five and I wanted to share that dream with my dad's memory."

The Chapmans will spend this Christmas apart and Lisa will be straight back into training after Boxing Day with coach Ian Armiger.

She said: "Last year was lovely. We had the works, presents under the tree and roast dinner around the family table. But it didn't seem right to do it all this year without dad.

"Ian has been fantastic for me. He has helped me through my troubles and is always ready to have a laugh while making sure he gets what performances he wants out of me."

Armiger has worked hard on Chapman fulfilling her potential by caring for her in and out of the pool.

He said: "You have to coach the person, not the event. You have to develop a relationship and that is what I've done with Lisa.

"I've adopted an holistic approach, getting involved in all aspects of her life, so she is happy outside and inside swimming.

"I make sure she eats well and gets her studies sorted (she is at Loughborough University). We discuss her relationships and I even get a plumber in should she need one.

"She's had a lot of ups and downs this year. Massive things have gone on and you have to be flexible and sensitive. There have been a lot of tears.

"It has been tough in the pool with her coming back from two years out but she's made fantastic progress.

"She's done everything I've asked, never questioned anything and done it with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

"Getting to the Olympics was huge and her first major medal is another sign of a great talented swimmer.

"She can medal at the Commonwealth Games and then go for the Beijing Olympics to stand on the medal rostrum again."