It was one of the great swimming comebacks.
Now the real challenge awaits Grant Hackett.
The dual Olympic champion's coach Denis Cotterell admits a huge mental test lies ahead for Hackett at July's world titles in Kazan, Russia.
But after feeling a "sense of deja vu" at his famous charge's stirring national titles return in Sydney, Cotterell is confident Hackett will again turn back the clock in Russia - and beyond.
At 34, Hackett has remarkably made the world titles team despite six months training and a six-year break.
Having fun was the key to Hackett's incredible return.
At one stage he didn't even acknowledge it as a comeback.
But Cotterell reckoned it was now time to get serious.
"He's already come further than he ever expected - now it's more of a mental challenge," Cotterell told AAP.
"He is at a great level already but gains won't come quick, but we know that."
Hackett earned a 2015 world titles relay team berth with a remarkable fourth place in the national 200m freestyle final in Sydney.
He took three seconds off his best 200m time since returning to the pool.
And he earlier shaved an incredible eight seconds off his best 400m comeback time to win a shock bronze medal in Sydney.
"It gave me a sense of deja vu," Cotterell said.
"Nothing has really changed, he's just a more mature version.
"He has champion attributes you can't buy, and that's the make-up of the bloke.
"It was a pleasure to see.
"As they say 'never knock a champion'."
Hackett's announcement in the world titles team will mark almost a year to the day that he walked out of a US drug rehab clinic for Stilnox addiction.
The Australian team has also turned it around both in and out of the pool since the London Olympics' "toxic culture", reclaiming the "Dolphins" name.
Cotterell said Hackett would only further bolster the brand.
"He will add maturity to the team and strengthen the overall culture of it," he said.
"I have been on the team 30 years and he was the greatest team captain.
"He led by example, he's got a fun nature, people are inspired by him.
"He can be a figurehead not only for the team but also the sport - I think he is inspiring to the general public."
Hackett will be expected to inspire a similar turnaround at Kazan for the national 4x200m freestyle team which finished fourth at the London Olympics.
In an encouraging sign, Hackett helped Gold Coast's Miami set a new Australian 4x200m club relay record at the nationals.
They were quicker than the Australian 4x200m team effort at the 2013 world titles, where they missed the final.
"Now it is about making the relay team better at Kazan," Cotterell said of Hackett.
"Where that leads, you never know."
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