Tears soon followed when Australia's Emily Seebohm last showed the stellar form that has propelled her to gold medal favouritism at the world swimming championships in Russia.
But it seems nothing can wipe the smile off a rejuvenated Seebohm's face ahead of Tuesday night's 100m backstroke final in Kazan.
The last time Seebohm had shown the blistering speed that made her top qualifier for the world 100m backstroke final ahead of American nemesis Missy Franklin was at the London Olympics.
Seebohm set a new Olympic record in the opening London heat only to be relegated to silver by Franklin in the final, sparking a very public, very tearful post-race breakdown.
She later blamed a fixation on social media.
And it seemed Seebohm had plenty of ready made excuses ahead of the 2015 world titles in Kazan, too.
Her long-term coach Matt Brown had left weeks after the world selection trials.
She dislocated her knee in a freak horse riding accident.
Suddenly Seebohm didn't look any more likely to break her world titles, individual gold medal duck in Russia.
Which makes her form resurgence all the more surprising in Kazan - especially to Seebohm, it seems.
At her fifth world titles, Seebohm's top qualifying time of 58.56 is not only her fastest since London, but the third quickest of her eight-year career.
"I'm so over-th- moon happy about everything," she said.
"This preparation has been so up and down, and I haven't felt like myself in a while and I'm starting to really feel like I was back in the day.
"I am sticking out my tongue and smiling at the (TV) camera at the starting blocks - I am feeling comfortable."
Seebohm is sitting pretty after pace-setting Katinka Hosszu of Hungary pulled out of the event after the semis to concentrate on the 200m IM at Kazan, a title she claimed in world record time on Monday night.
Australia's Madison Wilson is third fastest qualifier.
Not even the presence of old rival Franklin, who denied her gold at London and the 2013 world titles, seems to faze the re-born Australian.
Indeed, Franklin appears off the pace after qualifying fourth fastest for the 100m final.
Incredibly Seebohm and Franklin have combined for the 10 fastest 100m backstroke times in history.
"That's the fastest I've gone in a very long time, I'm really happy with it," Seebohm said.
"I am literally living the dream at the moment."
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