Thomas Fraser-Holmes has been patiently waiting for his turn on the international stage.
His relief was clear to see when it finally came at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday night.
The 22-year-old Queenslander upstaged national champion and good friend Cameron McEvoy in the men's 200m freestyle final to secure his first major individual gold medal.
He then backed it up with a silver in the gruelling 400m individual medley to be a key contributor on a night that yielded 11 medals for Australia.
Fraser-Holmes celebrated passionately after his 200 win, smashing his fists against the water.
"Winning at the Commonwealth Games is pretty special for myself and everyone in Australia so I was just really excited," Fraser-Holmes said.
"That emotion probably boiled over a little bit."
Fraser-Holmes, coached by Grant Hackett's former mentor Denis Cotterill on the Gold Coast, has competed at ever major international meet since the 2010 Pan Pacs but had yet to truly deliver on his long-touted potential.
"I probably had a bit of maturing to do both physically and mentally," Fraser-Holmes said.
"I was just patient over the last couple of years and pretty much waiting my turn.
"I've just got to really capitalise on the international stage now, knowing I'm there and knowing leading into Rio I can hopefully do multiple events and be competitive at those events."
Fraser-Holmes won the 200m freestyle final in a world-leading time of one minute and 45.08 seconds that would have won silver at least year's world championships, where he was eighth.
He clocked 4:12.04 in the 400IM behind fast-finishing Scot Daniel Wallace (4:11.20).
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