Olympic Games sprint champion Kyle Chalmers has backed calls to scrap medal predictions to ease pressure on athletes, declaring: "I'm not in it to win medals".
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Chalmers also hopes 100 metres rival and former world champion James Magnussen decides to continue his career to ensure Australia has the depth to chase relay gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Chalmers has returned to training and will make his comeback to competition at the Australian short-course championships in Melbourne at the end of October.
The 20-year-old burst on to the international stage when he won gold in the 100 metres freestyle final at the Rio Games two years ago, but is still shocked people suggest he underperformed by winning silver at the Commonwealth Games this year.
Swimming legend Ian Thorpe has led the push for Australia to stop predicting medal tallies for Olympic competitions, saying the strategy puts "immense" pressure on athletes.
Chalmers won five medals at his first Commonwealth Games, bagging four gold medals in the 200 metres freestyle, the 4 x 100 metres and 4 x 200 metres freestyle, the 4 x 100 metres medley relay and silver in the individual 100 metres.
"It kind of frustrates me when people say [the Commonwealth Games] wasn't successful ... I'm not in it to win medals. I'm in it because it's something I enjoy doing, the team atmosphere and I enjoy travelling.
"I guess medals come, but missing out on a gold medal doesn't concern me.
"[Medal tallies] are definitely extra pressure. I know leading into Rio it was well publicised the medals we were predicted to win and people were pumped up, but anything can happen at an Olympic Games.
"I'm the perfect example of that. I went in ranked seventh and came out with a gold medal, so it all comes down to what happens on the day.
"But [not having predictions] would definitely take the pressure off our athletes so we can perform the best we possibly can. You want to go into it with a clear head, there's already enough pressure as it is at an Olympics. So Thorpey definitely has a valid point."
Chalmers, dubbed "King Kyle", is leading the next generation of Australian swimmers after winning his first Olympic medal when he was just 18 years old.
He won four medals at the Pan Pacific championships in Tokyo this year and the South Australian sprint star has emerged as an anchor for Australia's relay teams.
The Australian 4 x 100 metre freestyle won bronze at the Rio Olympics, gold at the Commonwealth Games and silver at the Pan Pacs.
He teamed up with Jack Cartwright, Alexander Graham and James Roberts at the Pan Pacs, but veteran Magnussen is undecided whether he will push for a spot on the team for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Chalmers and Cartwright have jumped to the top of the pecking order as Australia's premier 100 metre freestylers, but Chalmers hopes Magnussen pushes on for a potential third Olympics.
"I'd love to see him stick around. He's probably a guy I idolised growing up and to be competing with him is awesome," Chalmers said.
"He's a very important part of that relay team and if we're going to be successful in 2020, we need the strongest team possible. He's definitely one of our strongest swimmers and has proven that multiple times.
"Fingers crossed he decides to continue, and he's also a great mate of mine."
