Mahe Drysdale wants to re-establish his aura on the international scene in the men's single sculls final at the rowing world championships on Saturday (NZT).
It is almost 12 months to the day that frightening images of a visibly distressed Drysdale flashed across our television screens as he struggled in the aftermath of a courageous bronze medal effort at the Beijing Olympics.
New Zealand's big medal hope fell ill in the days before the final and as he battled to find the necessary speed on the one day he craved it most the dream of a golden end to an Olympic cycle he dominated slipped away.
Drysdale remembers that day as "embarrassing," but memories of it have proven a major motivator as he seeks to reimpose his dominance at the highest level.
The lure of Olympic gold in London 2012 is the pot at the end of his four-year rainbow.
"I definitely want to win. I an a competitive person, I love winning," he said ahead of Saturday's final.
"What happened last year has probably given me extra motivation.
"As much as anything, building in the next four years, I want to be so strong that there's nothing that can take me down."
Drysdale might be an old hand when it comes to contesting world championship finals but the situation remains the same.
"There are six guys, you all start level and whoever crosses that line first is the winner.
"That's what this year is all about, that one race and you can just throw every other performance before out the window."
Drysdale's main competition as he seeks his fourth world title will come from Norway's Olympic champion Olaf Tufte, Great Britain's Alan Campbell, and erratic Czech Ondrej Synek.
"It's going to be fiercely competitive," Drysdale said.
"Alan's going to be quick. He'll be out in front but Olaf will be up there.
"You know there's going to be some big competition but you don't know exactly where it's going to come from until the day.
"Quite often in the single there will be one other guy who will come out and perform in the final and you don't know which one it's going to be."
Drysdale is one of six New Zealand crews confirmed for the finals, starting with adaptive rower Robin Tinga.
They will be joined by the women's pair of Emma-Jane Feathery and Rebecca Scown, the men's pair of Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, the men's double of Matthew Trott and Nathan Cohen, and women's single sculler Emma Twigg.
