China’s Qin Haiyang caused a boilover at last year’s world championships in Japan by beating Stubblety-Cook in the 200m breaststroke and eclipsing the Australian’s world record.
Channel Nine's swimming documentary 'Boiling Point - Swimming's Greatest Rivalry' airs on Sunday night.
In April,it was revealed that Qin was part of a to trimetazidine before the Tokyo Olympics but were allowed to compete because the samples were deemed to be “contaminated” and only found in small traces.
Swimmers have voiced their displeasure at the process and lack of transparency from the World Anti-Doping Agency,with American great Katie Ledecky saying last week that “faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low”.
Qin will square off again against Stubblety-Cook in Paris,provided the latter qualifies at Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic swimming trials,which start on Monday in Brisbane.
“It does affect me and it affects a lot of other athletes as well,including[members of the Australia’s women’s] 4x200 relay,” Stubblety-Cook said. “For me personally,it’s something I’ve had to kind of go,well,this sucks,but what can I do about it? I have to have faith in the WADA[World Anti-Doping Agency] system.
Qin Haiyang celebrates his 2023 world championship win against Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook in the men’s 200m breaststroke.Getty
“It’s great they’ve gone through an independent review,and they’re going through that process,but it’s still disappointing that we’re talking about it six weeks out from the Olympics.”
An independent review is being conducted into WADA’s handling of the matter,with the issue to become a major talking point when the swimming program starts in Paris on July 27.
As well as beating Stubblety-Cook to win breaststroke gold over 200m in Fukuoka,Qin also picked up victories in the 50m and 100m events.
Stubblety-Cook,who in 2021 became the first Australian male to win Olympic 200m breaststroke gold in 57 years,said his world championship silver medal last year had “absolutely” lit the fire within.
Stubblety-Cook poses during a Swimming Australia media opportunity in Brisbane on Sunday.Getty
“I was very motivated after Fukuoka,” Stubblety-Cook said. “I knew I was swimming well but not as well as I wanted to be. I’ve come back and gotten fitter and stronger and I’m in a good place now.
“You definitely chase that feeling. If anything,last year in Fukuoka was a little bit of a bonus to push that hunger again.
“I still remember very vividly looking down the end of the pool in Tokyo and being like,how f---ing cool is this? Literally,that’s what I said to myself.”
Before Australia’s trials,which run from Monday to Saturday,there is a confidence this Dolphins team can do something special in Paris given they topped the world championship medal table last year,winning 13 golds to the USA’s seven.
Stubblety-Cook isn’t putting added pressure on himself to complete back-to-back Olympic victories.
“We’re not chasing medals,it’s all chasing individual performances,” he said. “When we all chase our best individual performances as a group,that’s when we get the best out of each other.
“I think if you’re chasing a gold medal,you put too much pressure on yourself.”
Heats start from 11 am AEST each day before finals begin at 7.30 pm at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
Night one features the men’s and women’s 400m freestyle finals,with Ariarne Titmus,Lani Pallister,Sam Short and Elijah Winnington hoping to book their tickets to Paris.
Titmus,the reigning 200m and 400m freestyle Olympic champion,says she is primed and ready to go.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully just ticking that box and racing my best in six weeks’ time,” Titmus said.
Australia’s Paralympic stars will also be vying for selection ahead of the Games starting August 28.
2024 Australian swimming trials;exclusive,live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now from Monday June 10. Finals start at 7.30pm AEST each night.
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