Alex Lloyd is hoping his chances of rowing at the Rio Olympics didn't sink with Australia's silver medal at the recent world championships.
Lloyd was a regular member of the men's coxless four for the past two years but, just before the regatta in France in September, he crashed his bike in training, breaking his collarbone.
Josh Dunkley-Smith, who was part of the four who won silver at the London Olympics, was drafted into the crew from the men's eight.
The new four then claimed silver behind Italy, who also qualified the boat for the Rio Games.
While he missed the experience, Lloyd said he was happy the team did so well.
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"It's a little bittersweet but it certainly wasn't hard to watch," the 26-year-old said.
"We're all pretty good friends and I was really happy that those guys got onto the podium and qualified the boat for Rio after just four weeks of training together."
But five doesn't go into four, so Lloyd will put the friendship aside to try to regain his position in the crew.
After eight weeks off the water, he climbed back on the bike and into the boat in Sydney to try to build up his fitness ahead of the Olympic selection trials in March.
Lloyd can still force his way back into the boat with some strong performances domestically and will then hope to continue Australia's strong history in the event, going back to the original "Oarsome Foursome" who won Olympic gold in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.
"I've got as good a shot as anyone," he said.
"Obviously, those guys got the results overseas so they're in the strongest position so the onus is on me to get back in the mix and hopefully have a shot at making that boat."
