Sullivan swam 48.40sec for his 100m final, beating fellow Australia Matt Targett in a time just outside the time he swam at the Australian world championship trials last month.

But after revealing a few niggling injuries had kept him out of the pool this week, Sullivan was happy to make it through the opening night unscathed after also competing in the 4x100m mixed relay race.

The 23-year-old Beijing silver medallist said his main goal had been to simply race this weekend, with the time a bonus.

''To make it through the meet and I'm nearly halfway through [was the goal], I had a bit of a problem with my shoulders and a few niggles that kept me out of the water for one to two days this week, so I wanted to come away with a time close to trials so I'm very excited and very happy with that time,'' Sullivan said.

Sullivan also said it felt like he was finally returning to form after hip surgery he underwent since the Olympics. He set his personal best time (47.05sec) in Beijing a world record since broken by Frenchman Alain Bernard.

But Sullivan said he felt ready to reach those peaks again.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times