A silver medal in the European Championships 200 metres butterfly which brought Michelle Smith de Bruin's final total to four - two gold and two silver - and a discussion on recipes for fizzy drinks and Guinness. That's how the swimming has ended. After her performances in the Olympic Games in Atlanta last year and in this event in Seville, the World swimming championships in Perth next January is where chapter three will unfold. But Smith de Bruin, propping Ireland up on her own at fifth in the league of medal winners here, will leave with a less bitter taste in her mouth than she did just over a year ago in Atlanta.

"I suppose I would be happier this time," she said of her media coverage here compared to the Olympics.

The President Mrs Robinson, last night congratulated Smith de Bruin on her "spectacular achievement" in Seville. "She has shown yet again that she is an outstanding athlete and her achievements continue to be a source of inspiration to Irish athletes of all ages." the President said in a statement.

The biggest ever medal haul for an Irish competitor at a European event has, in a now familiar way, had to accept equal billing with the subsequent questions tabled at press conferences. But no bile this time.

Little outrage. People have voiced their deep suspicions about Smith de Bruin and she has answered them with more medals. That is simply how it has been.

"You look at Coke. You look at Pepsi. Everybody wants to know how to make Coke. Have you ever asked them how to make Coca Cola? Do you think Guinness are going to tell their competitors how they make it - of course not."

The glasnost revealed in Smith de Bruin's Irish Independent column on Saturday has had a brief life span. The question put to her about being more public about training methods and practices had one again hearing the rattle of the iron curtain falling back into its familiar position.

Trite analogies about fizzy soft drinks will not satisfy those who have a ravenous appetite for information on Michelle Smith de Bruin. But she is not yet about to reveal to the world how herself and her husband have so spectacularly bucked the system. Her competitors can wait until she has no more need for her methods. Then we can come and ask the question again. That is her stance.

She was clearly more organised after the race than before. The final event for Ireland in these championships started with confusion as Smith de Bruin appeared alone jogging across the starting area just before the race was about to take place and disappeared into where the athletes enter the stadium. Two minutes later she was out in file with the rest of the field without her baggy tracksuit and black runners and geared up in the green swimsuit she has been using for warming up and practice.

"I was sitting there relaxing and all of a sudden I saw people waving me to the start. So I had to put on my swimsuit, my goggles, my hat and run. I didn't have time to wear my usual swimsuit. I didn't have time to change," she explained.

The incident was reminiscent of the occasion at the Atlanta games when her goggles snapped, but Smith de Bruin this time refused to blame her equipment or hasty preparation for the lapse in the final 50 metres that allowed Spain's Maria Pelaez to come from behind to snatch gold in two minutes 10.25 seconds, about half a second faster than the Irish woman.

Smith de Bruin had been leading the race at the first turn (in 29.50 seconds), the second (1:01.94) and the third (1:35.69), before Pelaez made her move.

It is the second time in these championships that Smith de Bruin has been chased down at the end of the event. In the 400 metres freestyle last Thursday she also conceded ground in the final surge, an unusual happening given that traditionally this has been her strength.

But she has always hinted that the World Championships was this year's holy grail.

With proper long-course preparation behind her, she should be stronger. Significantly, Smith de Bruin has never been a world champion.

The President, Mrs Robinson, last night congratulated Smith de Bruin on her "spectacular achievement" in Seville. "She has shown yet again that she is an outstanding athlete and her achievements continue to be a source of inspiration to Irish athletes of all ages," the President said in a statement.

The rest of the Irish team had mixed success over the weekend. Chantal Gibney failed to find her best form in the 50 metre freestyle, finishing in 27.86 seconds, almost half a second off her best time of 27.39. Nick O'Hare also swam 23.64 for seventh place in the 50 metres freestyle, some way off his best of 23.65.

Smith de Bruin and Colin Lowth, because of his Irish record swim of 2:03.96 in the 200 metres butterfly, are the only two swimmers assured of their places in the Perth event.

The Irish men's 4x100 metres medley team also set an Irish record when Adrian O'Connor, Michael Giles, Paul MacCarthy and O'Hare swam 3:50.82.

O'Hare and Giles were also in the freestyle relay, where the team set an Irish record of 3:30.12. Adrian and Hugh O'Connor completed the foursome in that event.

In all, four new national records have been set over the course of the week - in the two relay events, Lowth's 200 metres butterfly swim and Smith de Bruin's 1:59.93 gold medal effort in the 200 metres freestyle.