His mind is willing but Beijing Olympic champion Matthew Mitcham admits his Rio Games hopes now hinge on his body.
Mitcham launched his 2016 Olympic comeback campaign in impressive style at the inaugural Gold Coast Grand Prix on Thursday.
In his first international meet in a year, Mitcham dominated his 3m springboard semi-final to cruise into Saturday's medal decider.
Mitcham, 27, said he was more focused than ever on a Rio Olympic podium tilt after finding the right life balance.
He has enjoyed a growing profile out of the pool with a successful cabaret act and Dancing with the Stars TV stint.
Mitcham said it had helped exorcise his well documented mental demons.
He has revealed a battle with depression and admitted to a 2011 crystal meth addiction.
"All that extra stuff has been good for my mental health - I think it is important to have that balance," Mitcham said.
Mitcham wasn't fazed when he failed to qualify for July's world titles in Russia, instead using the time to recover from an elbow injury and juggle his growing profile out of the pool.
But Mitcham admitted his diving career now hinged on how long his body "holds out".
"I have my eyes firmly focused on Rio," he said.
"But the expiry date to my athlete life is dependent on injuries.
"As you get older you don't recover from injuries you just accrue them.
"It's a matter of managing them but I am doing pretty well at the moment."
Mitcham was already thinking about a Rio Games podium tilt in the 10m synchro with teammate Domonic Bedggood.
"I will contest at least the 10m synchro (for Rio), other results we will see but this is very early in my comeback," he said.
He combined with Bedggood to win the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games 10m synchro gold - Mitcham's last international meet.
"We haven't done any training together since Glasgow but Dom came down to Sydney last week and from the first set back we were straight back into sync," Mitcham said.
Mitcham and national captain Melissa Wu spearhead a full strength Australian team against China, United States, Canada, Germany and Malaysia at the inaugural four-day Gold Coast Grand Prix round starting on Thursday.
Mitcham will be joined in the 3m springboard final by teammate Joshua Kehagias.
In the women's 10m platform, Wu qualified for Saturday's final but London Olympic silver medallist Brittany Broben crashed out in the semis.
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