Dual world champion James Magnussen has revealed he was given the option of withdrawing from this week's Pan Pacific championships on the Gold Coast due to a "pretty dodgy" back.
But he is still backing himself to claim gold in a world class 100m freestyle Pan Pacs field boasting his London Olympic conqueror Nathan Adrian of the United States.
Magnussen could not guarantee he would be fully fit for the four-day meet where Australia takes on the likes of America, Canada and Japan from Thursday.
However, Magnussen believed a bulging disc complaint would not stop him from repeating his 2013 world title heroics.
Magnussen gained post-London redemption when he held out Americans Jimmy Feigen and Adrian to defend his world title in Barcelona last year.
"Obviously I hated getting beaten at London and the (2013) worlds for me was one of my biggest achievements getting over the top of those two Americans," Magnussen said.
Asked to describe his rivalry with the Americans, Magnussen said: "I barely see them and don't really talk to them.
"But I am a very competitive and determined person, and I like to win and that is my main focus.
"I wouldn't say I have the edge over them but I am quietly confident.
"I have done the job before. I am pretty focused on doing it again."
Magnussen said teaming up with the man who upset him at the 2014 national titles - world No.2-ranked Cameron McEvoy - had also buoyed him for the Pan Pacs showdown.
Magnussen avenged his shock loss to McEvoy by pipping his Australian teammate for Glasgow Commonwealth Games 100m gold despite aggravating his back complaint.
"It takes a bit of pressure off having Cam there with me now," he said.
"It feels like the pair of us are taking on the rest of the field which is kind of cool."
Magnussen said the lower back complaint was "improving day by day" and ruled out surgery.
"It was pretty dodgy when I got back from the Commonwealth Games but we've been working really stringently on it and I'm doing the best I can to be as close to 100 per cent as I can," he said.
"I won't go into too much detail (about scan results) but there are definitely some problems there.
"(But) any chance I get to represent the Australian swim team I feel very strongly about, so pulling out, whilst it was an option, was never something I wanted to consider and something I never allowed myself to think about."
Magnussen will lead an Australian team still buzzing from topping the Glasgow Games pool tally with 57 medals (19 gold, 21 silver, 17 bronze).
But they face a sterner test against a 60-strong US team spearheaded by Olympic great Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky.
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