It wasn't easy but in the end Kyle Chalmers has won the 200m freestyle final at the world swimming titles trials with his eyes closed.
But Emily Seebohm and Mack Horton were forced to keep their eyes focused on the prize after missing out on selection on night two of the six-day trials in Brisbane on Monday.
Remarkably Olympic 100m champion Chalmers didn't lead the 200m final until the final touch, clocking one minute 45.76 seconds to edge out Clyde Lewis by 0.12.
National 200m champion Chalmers revealed he had hardly opened his eyes during the thrilling finish.
"When the going gets tough I grind it out with my eyes closed," Chalmers said.
"And we do so much training when it comes to racing you really should be able to do it with your eyes closed."
Both Chalmers and Lewis qualified for next month's world titles in South Korea.
However, Rio 400m champion Horton was a big name casualty after finishing fifth in the final.
After being upset by Jack McLoughlin in the 400m on the opening night, Horton now only has one event left to earn a world titles nod - Wednesday's 800m freestyle.
Chalmers believed the 200m field was the strongest in Australian men's swimming with McLoughlin, Cameron McEvoy, Alex Graham and Thomas Fraser-Holmes also missing out on the two individual spots.
The top two in each final make the world titles team providing they also finish under the designated qualifying time.
"I honestly think it is our best event for the males," Chalmers said.
"I really want to be a part of it because of the (4x200m) relay. I think we are a good shot of getting a (world titles) medal."
Like Horton, there are anxious moments ahead for Seebohm after she was relegated to a distant fourth in the 100m backstroke final.
Seebohm - a 13-year national team veteran - will now shift her quest, to make an unprecedented seventh world titles team, to Friday's 200m backstroke.
Former junior world record holder Minna Atherton, 19, claimed a shock 100m backstroke win in a personal best 59.20 seconds.
Seebohm's training partner Atherton finished ahead of fellow teenager Kaylee McKeown who also qualified.
Seebohm is hoping to become the first woman to win three straight 200m backstroke world titles in South Korea next month.
Meanwhile, former world champion Mitch Larkin blitzed the 100m backstroke field, clocking 52.38 seconds - just 0.27 shy of his Commonwealth record and this year's second fastest time in the world.
"It has been a few years since I have been that quick. I think Queensland state titles in 2015 (was last time)," said Larkin, the 2015 world champion.
Other Monday night winners were Jess Hansen (100m breaststroke) and Madeleine Gough (1500m freestyle).
