GIAAN Rooney says Australia is determined to erase the heartache of Fukuoka and prove it is the rightful world champion in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the world titles in Barcelona.
The Australian women were infamously stripped of their gold medal at the Fukuoka world championships in 2001 after they were disqualified from the race for celebrating prematurely.
The 4x200m relay quartet of Petria Thomas, Elka Graham, Linda Mackenzie and Rooney jumped into the pool to celebrate their win before the final Italian swimmer had finished the race.
Rooney, the world 200m freestyle champion, admitted the disappointment still lingered.
"The saddest thing is that was a championship record, it was the fastest a team had ever swum at the championships and that didn't stand either," she said.
But Australia's relay firepower has already been diminished with Thomas on the sidelines recovering from shoulder surgery.
And the team will be hoping Graham will be able to prove she is fit and ready to compete before the start of the championships.
"We desperately need her (Elka)," Rooney said.
"Without her, we go from a gold medal chance to a final."
Rooney will not be defending her own world 200m freestyle title in Barcelona, instead concentrating on the backstroke and relay events.
She elected to bypass her pet event after a two-month break over summer failed to leave her with enough time to build her fitness before the trials in March.
With Dyana Calub and Clementine Stoney out of the picture, Rooney felt her best chance of making the team was in the backstroke.
Rooney said her break from the pool had helped recapture her enthusiasm for swimming after a disastrous year in 2002.
"I had the break to get over glandular fever, I had my wisdom teeth out and I had an iron deficiency so the body was basically telling me it had had enough," Rooney said.
"But it's the best thing I've ever done in my swimming career. I feel rejuvenated, my mind feels great and I'm enjoying my swimming more than ever."
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