The time was quick. The hamstring was fine. The smile was well and truly back.
Sally Pearson ended a frustrating domestic season in scintillating style on Sunday, winning a seventh national 100m hurdles title in 12.59 seconds.
And for once the hurdles wasn't a one-woman show as rising star Michelle Jenneke smashed her personal best twice in the space of two hours to move to second spot on the Australian alltime list behind Pearson with 12.82.
Jenneke was almost level with Pearson six hurdles into the final before the world and Olympic champion inevitably powered away.
The victory came less than 24 hours after Pearson pulled out of the 100m flat final as a precautionary measure after feeling tightness in her hamstring.
It proved to be an inspired decision.
"I have had too many of those (injuries) over the last few years, so it's all about being smart," said Pearson, the reigning Olympic gold medallist and 2011 world champion.
"At the end of the day I am going to be world champion in the hurdles. That's what I am going to do this year, that's what I want.
"I don't want to be 100m world champion, I want to be hurdles world champion so I have to be selfish about it.
" ... I wanted that time but I didn't know if I was being realistic or not."
There was no keeping the grin off Jenneke's face either.
Already a YouTube sensation for her pre-race warmup routine, the 20-year-old is now also a force to be reckoned with on the track.
"I'm never scared of racing against Sally," she said.
"You always know that she's going to be phenomenally fast, so to be anywhere near her for me is pretty awesome."
Another quick 20-year-old booked her spot on the Australian team for August's world championships in Beijing on Sunday as Ella Nelson smashed her PB to win the 200m in 23.04.
With Melissa Breen dominating the 100m final on Saturday night, Australia will be well-represented in the women's speed events in Beijing.
Jeff Riseley was the standout performer of the Australian titles, becoming the first man since Simon Doyle in 1991 to win the 800m/1500m double.
Having put national record holder Alex Rowe to the sword in the 800m decider on Saturday night, Riseley backed up with a dominant win in the 1500m.
Back in sixth spot with a lap to run, Riseley swamped the field, flying past long-time rival Ryan Gregson to win in a hand-timed 3:43.8.
The long-striding Victorian should now get the chance to contest both events at the world titles.
Dani Samuels, the 2009 world champion, took a while to get going on Sunday before claiming a record 10th national discus title with a best throw of 64.44m.
Commonwealth champion Eleanor Patterson won the high women's jump with 1.94m and Nick Hough flew home to claim the men's 110m hurdles 13.42.
Lauren Wells also confirmed her spot on the world championships team by winning the 400m hurdles.
Darcy Roper, 16, stamped himself as a name to watch after finishing second in the long jump with a PB of 7.91m - the biggest jump by an under-18 athlete anywhere in the world in the last two years.
Roper's big focus this year is the world youth championships in Colombia.
Robbie Crowther, the 2006 world junior champion, won a third national long jump title with 8.05m, but luckless Henry Frayne withdrew after three rounds due to yet another hamstring strain.
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