GEOFF Huegill doesn't feel the pressure as much now that fatherhood has put his journey into perspective.
The butterfly champion, who has completed a remarkable weight loss transformation to become a star of the pool again, begins his Olympic trials campaign with the 50m butterfly today.
While his comeback could reach its peak in Adelaide in the next eight days, the joys of fatherhood have him less stressed about the final outcome in the pool.
The man known as Skippy and his wife, Sara, welcomed daughter Mila into the world in January and their life has been a whirlwind since.
"When you have a newborn it has been a really good distraction leading into the Olympic trials," Huegill said.
"Now that she is here, it makes all the other things you do in your life insignificant."
Huegill said his dream of racing in London with his wife and daughter in the grandstands motivated him to keep racing at the age of 33.
"To do what I love doing, but most importantly knowing this is going to be my last real opportunity for an Olympics, and to know that I'm doing it for something other than myself is a massive motivator."
Next Wednesday night he must finish in the top two of the 100m butterfly final to qualify for London.
Source: Herald Sun