I was happy with the way I swam at the National Short Course; I was more tapered than in Japan and it showed.

I had seven starts for six gold and one silver, and in that race I pulled out my second best time ever for the event. The 200m freestyle is really a bonus event for me, and while I want to be a part of the relay in Beijing, I won’t swim it as an individual.

We actually smashed the short course world record by 3.7 seconds and the team we took it off were no slouches: Thorpey, Bill Kirby, Michael Klim and myself.

I thought some of the more impressive swimmers at the meet were Matthew Targett, Matt Welsh (who continues to be so dominant in short course due to his amazing skill level), Andrew Lauterstein, Liesel Jones and Libby Lenton who helped lead the women’s 4×100m relay team to a world record.

Kenrick Monk has continued to improve and if the World Champs were on again right now he would be a real medal contender; looking to Beijing I am excited for him and the team as a whole.

In a lot of ways Beijing will give me the chance to really show I am not a spent force or anything like it, and while it is frustrating to be reminded of the World Champs at every turn, I can’t do anything about it. People will write what they want to write and it gives the media a different spin on a story, so essentially it is up to them.

But in terms of my career I will continue to use it as motivation and I can honestly say I am proud of the way I have turned things around since then.

At present I am back in Queensland, and was initially dismayed to find it was raining, but the sun has come out and Candice and I are enjoying the last holiday we will likely have before I go to the Olympic Games.

I enjoyed seeing my nephew for the second time, the last time I did he was just five days old, they grow so fast at his age. I was also able to shoot an Uncle Tobys’ ad, which was gruelling. I ran and cycled for what felt like an eternity and was happy to jump back in the pool. The ad is much more serious than others I have done in the past and I reckon it will be a really good campaign.

The big news for me is that I was nominated to be an athlete’s delegate on the International Olympic Committee. All 10500 athletes at the games vote and only a few are chosen. It would be a huge honour for me to have a say in things and rub shoulders with the likes of Jacques Rogge.

It would give me a chance to give something back and as a result I will be campaigning heavily when I am not on the pool deck in Beijing.

Grant.