Friday, 27 October 2017: Australia's Cate Campbell says she is no longer daunted racing after making a record breaking return to the pool at the national short course swim titles.

Not so long ago, the prospect of returning to the pool daunted Australian sprint queen Cate Campbell.

Embed from Getty Images
But after officially capping her 12-month comeback in record-breaking style, Campbell is suddenly ready to take on the world.

At her first official meet after a post-Rio Olympic sabbatical, Campbell shattered the 100m freestyle world record at the Australian short course titles in Adelaide in a staggering 50.25 seconds - shaving 0.33 off Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom's mark set in early August.

Not that Campbell had to be reminded.

Campbell was competing as a tune-up during her 12 months out of the national team when Sjostrom shattered the 100m short course mark in Eindhoven.

She couldn't do much about the next record that the Swede claimed.

Campbell watched helplessly pool-side after making herself unavailable for national selection as Sjostrom broke the Australian's long course 100m freestyle world record a couple of weeks later at the 2017 world titles in Budapest.

But after putting her name back in the record books, Campbell said she was ready for anything ahead of April's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

"Sarah is swimming incredibly fast and watching her in Budapest, I was very pleased I didn't have to get up on the blocks and race her then," Campbell said.

"I am feeling a little bit better about the possibility about racing her in the near future.

"She broke this world record just a couple of months ago and I was in that race.

"When I breathed I remember seeing her feet and that was a little demoralising but very motivating at the same time.

"I have been very motivated to give 100 per cent because I don't feel like I am done with it yet."

Campbell's short course 100m time was remarkable but not her best, the former world champion says.

"No race is perfect. I had a couple of wonky breaths.

"All in all, you can't be disappointed with a personal best. I am over the moon."

Campbell said she was more pleased with the execution of the race than the record time after it let her down badly at Rio.

The red hot 100m freestyle gold medal favourite baulked on the blocks before being mowed down to finish a shock second last in the Olympic final.

"My starts and turns are typically my downfall in a race situation so that is encouraging," Campbell said.

"I am starting to learn how to keep a cool head on the blocks again."