Suddenly, all conquering American swimmer Katie Ledecky will be looking over her shoulder at this week's Pan Pacs in Tokyo.
For six years Ledecky has been untouchable in distance freestyle but is quite aware she won't be having it all her own way in Japan thanks to Australian teenager Ariarne Titmus.
Titmus announced her arrival in April by becoming the first Australian woman to claim the 400m-800m Commonwealth Games double since Tracey Wickham in 1982, smashing a national record on the way.
Not that multiple Olympic and world champion Ledecky had to be told before the Pan Pacs started on Thursday.
"She's been swimming very fast this year. She has really made a name for herself," Ledecky said.
"She has been competing really well at an international level so I am excited to race her along with the other competitors.
"I expect she will be very fast this week and I hope to have some great races with her."
Titmus has pulled out of the Pan Pacs event that was considered her best chance to dethrone Ledecky - the 200m freestyle - due to a schedule clash with the 800m on Thursday.
But the 17-year-old still appears poised to make her presence felt in the 400m and 800m in what would be a Tokyo 2020 confidence boost.
Titmus gets her first crack in the 800m on Thursday.
The teenager is focusing on the event at the Pan Pacs after being left frustrated with missing the national record at the Commonwealth Games.
She clocked eight minutes, 20.02 seconds to fall short of Jess Ashwood's mark by barely two seconds.
Titmus' best 800m time is still nine seconds shy of Ledecky's Pan Pacs qualifying time and 16 seconds short of the American's world record.
However she was confident of reeling in Ledecky, who also owns the 400m and 1500m world marks.
"The Australian record, it would be lovely to get that. But I don't think too much about times," Titmus said.
"However, that (800m) is something I really have to get better in so here will be another opportunity."
Titmus also fancies her 400m chances on Saturday after clocking 4:00.93 to shatter the Commonwealth record at the Gold Coast.
It is almost four seconds short of Ledecky's world mark.
"I like to go hard," Titmus warned when asked about her 400m gameplan.
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