Ian Thorpe was back in the pool today and back into the old groove as he qualified for the semi-finals of the 200metres freestyle at the Australian Olympic selection trials with the fastest time.
The world record holder brushed off the disappointments of his disqualification from the 400m yesterday to clock a qualifying time of one minute 49.30secs.
Thorpe left the swimming world stunned yesterday when he overbalanced and fell into the pool before the starter's gun fired in the 400m heat, his pet event.
The Olympic, Commonwealth and world champion lodged two appeals but neither were successful - there was no way round the one-start rule introduced by swimming's governing body FINA in March 1998.
Australian Swimming's strict qualification rules mean only the top two finishers in the selection trial final will head to Athens, providing both finish inside the qualification time.
As Thorpe watched on from the pool deck, both Grant Hackett and Craig Stevens did leaving the man who has dominated the 400m since 1998 and broken the world record on five occasions without the chance to defend his Olympic title.