Rio de Janeiro: The head coach of Australia's swim team, Jacco Verhaeren, says Cam McEvoy got stagefright in the 100m freestyle final and was not ill before flopping in the blue riband event, won by teenage countryman Kyle Chalmers.
Chalmers is all the rage after his boilover win in the sprint but McEvoy's underwhelming display remains a subject of as nearly as much interest.
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A proper analysis will come later with his coach Rich Scarce. What Australia's coaches say won't be blamed is his health.
There were suggestions out of the athletes' village that McEvoy was not feeling himself before the race. Later, there was talk of a sore throat.
Verhaeren, however, said the pre-event favourite had simply not got it right on the big occasion.
"He hasn't been ill," Verhaeren said. "There are many, many ways you can feel something of course. But he hasn't been sick.
"There wasn't anything in his preparation as far as the coach (Scarce) and myself could see. He's been prepared well. But it looked like he was frozen like, how do you call it, stagefright?
"It had nothing to do with any physical, technical, tactical choices whatsoever. He just wasn't there at the right time and that's mental. What part of mental we have to find out. But actually he showed today he is in fine shape."
Twelve hours after the disappointment of a seventh-placed finish in the event he was meant to win, the 100m freestyle, McEvoy returned to the pool here, switched back on and comfortably booked himself a lane in Thursday night's 50m semi-finals.
McEvoy was also asked whether he was feeling less than best before the 100m final. His answer was less clear, pausing for several seconds to consider the question after his heat on Thursday.
"Me and Rich," he began. "We're going to sit down and try and pinpoint any little areas that might have had some effect.
"But I don't want to stand here being the guy rolling off excuses, not only because that's not the type of person I am, but I also don't want to take away from what Kyle has achieved. I think this is his moment and he should really soak it up. He deserves all the recognition he can get."
Whatever was exactly the case, McEvoy didn't appear encumbered in any way in his 50m heat. He had only a matter of hours to process his own part in the extraordinary 100m final before resuming competition on day six. That he was able to get himself up to win his 50m heat in 21.8 and qualify fifth fastest overall for the semis was another representation of what is an old head on young shoulders.
"I've spoken to a lot of people about it and the amount of support I've received, not only from friends and family, but the general public around the world and also from my competitors too... I was really surprised the amount of competitors that came up to me and spoke to me about it and supported me," he said.
"That was surprising and it's comforting. It really helps with being able to deal with it.
"Any race at the Olympics, any chance you get to have your own lane in an Olympic race is something special. I was easily able to step up knowing that it was a privilege to be there. Knowing that allowed me to enjoy it a lot more."
McEvoy is not the favourite for the 50m - France's Florent Manaudou, the 2012 Olympic champion, and top qualifier Andrii Govorov of Ukraine are the most highly fancied after the heats - but the event is such a crapshoot, an almost inevitable blanket finish, that he is in with a decent shot.
Certainly, not having the weight of expectation riding on his back is a plus.
"I feel like I can thoroughly enjoy it," McEvoy said. "The 50 free is different in my mind to any other race. There is no tactic. It's just dive in and swim and that's as I like it.
"I guess I'm just going to go out and try and go as close to my best time as I can. I do believe I am in good shape to do that, but more importantly I'm just going to enjoy the experience."
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