It is a refreshed, focused and noticeably trimmer James Magnussen heading into a 2015 that begins this weekend in Perth and he hopes leads to a third triumph at the world championships later this year.
At the end of 2014, the reigning 100m freestyle world champion decided to break away from long-time coach Brant Best at the NSW Institute of Sport and instead work under a group led by Mitch and Lach Falvey at Sydney's Ravenswood club.
The changes weren't endorsed by Swimming Australia (SA).
But already Magnussen has seen immediate results with a different strength and conditioning program making him 5kg lighter than he was for last year's Aquatic Super Series in Perth.
Magnussen swam quick times of 47.59 and 21.88 to win the 100m and 50m freestyle races respectively at the same event last year.
But he felt SA wouldn't give him the best chance to succeed at this year's world championships in Kazan, Russia or at the Olympic Games next year in Rio.
"I felt it was time that I took a little more control over my career and went out and set up a new team around myself," he said.
"It's been really exciting and it's something fresh and new, and something that I'm looking forward to testing on the world stage," Magnussen said.
"I have changed my strength and conditioning program quite drastically and I've started a few new things like Pilates.
"In the pool I've probably gone back to my roots a little bit more and it's all stuff that I've really enjoyed.
"I feel very physically different this time this year compared to last year.
"A lot of that comes with maturity and shedding a little bit of baby fat as you get older."
Magnussen is keen to see what results his new regime can reap.
"Any time you beat your competition you get a bit of an edge," Magnussen said.
"You hate getting beaten by anyone that you ultimately want to knock off on a bigger stage so every time I race, I race to win.
"But in saying that I raced pretty quick here this year, but then got beat at trials so it's probably not too much to go off."
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