It looked like a changing of the guard.
But Emily Seebohm's shock 2019 world swimming titles omission will only spur the veteran on to bounce back at the Tokyo Olympics, her main rival says.
Seebohm was the big-name casualty when the 27-strong Australian team for next month's world titles in South Korea was unveiled.
The 13-year national team member missed selection after sensationally failing to qualify in both the 100m and 200m backstroke at the six-day trials which concluded in Brisbane on Friday night.
It denied Seebohm the chance to not only make an unprecedented seventh world titles team but also become the first woman to win three straight 200m backstroke world crowns.
Perhaps more telling was the swimmers who dethroned the 27-year-old.
First, 19-year-old Minna Atherton claimed the 100m backstroke final at the Brisbane trials, with Seebohm a distant fourth.
Then 17-year-old Kaylee McKeown outclassed the 200m backstroke field, relegating Seebohm to third.
It appeared a new era in Australian backstroke had emerged.
But McKeown backed Seebohm to hit back hard in Tokyo.
Asked if the results marked a changing of the guard, McKeown said: "No, I think sometimes people don't have their best meets.
"I can't speak on her behalf but she may have been doing something different (at training) and it hasn't paid off.
"But I know she will be back next year and firing (for Tokyo Olympics).
"I couldn't pay her more respect because she has been around for a very long time."
Still, Australian head coach Jacco Verhaeren couldn't hide his shock over Seebohm's trials results.
"It does surprise you...talk about a consistent performer," he said.
"She's been there for a decade, has swum 58 seconds (in 100m backstroke) for a decade - I don't know anyone in the world of swimming who has done that."
Asked whether she would bounce back, Verhaeren said: "I know her as being pretty resilient".
Yet Verhaeren hinted that the new guard of Australian backstroke had emerged at the trials.
"She (Seebohm) is racing two youngsters that are very strong but they are not average swimmers - they are previous junior world record holders," he said.
McKeown - who also won a shock 200m individual final at the trials - looms as a breakout star at July's world titles but hoped she had not seen the last of Seebohm.
"She is a great mentor. She has shown me the ropes and I couldn't thank her more for that," she said.
