James Magnussen says the culture in the Australian swimming team is the best he's experienced as he prepares for a tough new challenge and another shot at legendary American Michael Phelps.
The dual 100m freestyle world champion on Wednesday confirmed he would contest the Pan Pacific championships on the Gold Coast later this month after an MRI cleared his back of any serious injury in the aftermath of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Magnussen won the 100m freestyle title and added a second gold in the 4x100 freestyle relay, a silver in the 4x100 medley relay and a bronze in the 50m freestyle.
He will back up for the Pan Pacs just over three weeks after finishing competition in Scotland.
"This is the first time I've had this short of a turnaround," Magnussen told AAP.
"It's going to be pretty tough, both mentally and physically.
"Obviously you have some highs after a Commonwealth Games win, but then you have to really get back to reality and get back into training really fast, so its a pretty tough turnaround mentally.
"Then physically obviously to try and get your body to peak twice within a month is a pretty big ask so we'll just have to see how we go."
Successful in the pool, the Australian team also gave the appearance of being a more unified and happier unit than at the London 2012 Olympics.
On Tuesday, Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said the swim team's attitude had turned for the better and their team culture was back.
"I feel like our team culture is at an all-time high for the five years I've been on the team," Magnussen said.
"It's really positive, it's really encouraging and everyone is very confident about the prospects leading forward."
At the Pan Pacs, Magnussen is set to swim against Nathan Adrian, the man who pipped him by one-hundredth of a second for gold in the 2012 Olympic 100m freestyle final, Phelps and Jimmy Feigen, who will be coming off the American titles starting in California on Thursday.
Magnussen avenged his Olympic loss to Adrian at last year's world championships and beat 18-time Olympic gold medallist Phelps on his way to getting gold at the 2011 world titles, when he also shaded the American great in the first leg of the freestyle relay.
"It should be exciting. I'm really looking forward to getting up there and racing the Americans," Magnussen said.
"He (Phelps) is obviously the greatest swimmer of all time, so any chance I get to jump in the pool next to him is an exciting one and a big opportunity for me."
At the Pan Pacs, Magnussen will contest the 50 and 100m freestyle and the 4x100 freestyle and medley relays.
"For me, it's going to be a pretty tough competition, so I'd like to step up a bit from what I did at Commonwealth Games and go a little bit faster again," Magnussen said.
Share
