THOMAS Fraser-Holmes' bid to reach a third Olympics has ended with injury forcing the Newcastle swimmer to pull out of the Games trials.
The 29-year-old, who represented Australia at both London and Rio, said it was a "tough one to swallow" giving up on his Tokyo dream.
However, last week he decided to withdraw from the all-important meet, which starts in Adelaide on Saturday, and forfeit his chance of making another Olympic appearance.
"It's a tough one to swallow, but there's also some positives out of it," Fraser-Holmes told the Newcastle Herald.
"I did everything I possibly could to give myself an opportunity to get on the blocks this week."
The three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, now living and training on the Gold Coast, was unable to get through recent race-like sessions which prompted him to make the call.
"I'd entered for the trials hoping that I was going to be right," he said.
"There were a few quality sessions I was doing, hopefully I could've got through and been able to prove to myself that I could get to trials. But they didn't really go to plan and that was kind of where we decided we have to make a decision.
"It's one of those things in sport sometimes, these decisions have to be made."
Fraser-Holmes said he was proud of his efforts in rehabilitation but was also disappointed knowing he wouldn't be in the water alongside his Dolphins teammates.
As for the next step, he said "I haven't retired just yet" and wants to "let the dust settle" before coming up with a plan of action.
"The main focus is getting my shoulder better," Fraser-Holmes said.
Surgery could be an option if Fraser-Holmes does continue to swim with World Championships and Commonwealth Games potential goals next year.
Further rest may also be on the cards, given the "short timeframe" available between the initial injury and Olympic trials.
Fraser-Holmes had erased the men's 400 metre individual medley from his program to focus on the 200m freestyle, opening the way for solo and relay selection at Tokyo.
He admits it "could have been" a different story if the Games went ahead as planned 12 months ago rather than being postponed because of coronavirus, but knows "we're in the now".
Fraser-Holmes put himself back in the frame having returned to the pool from a 12-month ban issued by FINA in June 2017 for three missed doping tests.
He's considered life out of the fast lane.
"I've looked into some coaching options for later down the track when I do finish up my swimming. Whether that's this year or whenever that may be, but I'm still not shutting that door [to continue]," he said.
Fraser-Holmes says he feels "excited" about the talent coming through the Aussie ranks.
Tristan Hollard, Meg Bailey and Abbey Harkin will fly the flag for Newcastle and Hunter bred swimmers at the week-long Olympic trials in South Australia.
Hollard, fresh from dual national titles, has the same men's 100-200m backstroke double. Bailey has entered both women's IM distances, 200 and 400m, and the 200m butterfly. Harkin gets shots at the 100-200m breaststroke and 200m freestyle.
Charlie Hawke also has six events, including IM, freestyle and butterfly.
