Australian duo Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan aren't thinking about breaking the longest-standing record in women's swimming.
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But the rest of the swim world are.
Titmus and O'Callaghan begin their 200m freestyle campaigns at the world titles with heats and semi-finals on Tuesday in Japan.
The world record of Italian Federica Pellegrini - one minute 52.98 seconds - was set in the supersuit era in 2009.
O'Callaghan owns the fastest time in the event this year, 1:53.83 at Australia's selection trials in June, while Titmus logged the second-quickest time ever - 1:53.09 - in 2021.
But O'Callaghan maintains her focus is on learnings ahead of next year's Olympic Games, not the world benchmark.
"I am just taking it day by day at the moment," O'Callaghan said.
"There will be some great races and some not so great and I have just got to learn and experience and take it step by step.
"I am not going to put too much pressure on myself for this."
Titmus recaptured her 400m freestyle world record on Sunday's opening night of competition at the Fukuoka pool - and denied that records were on her mind.
But fellow Australian Kaylee McKeown may be thinking otherwise entering her Tuesday night final in the 100m backstroke.
McKeown owns the world record in the event but has been fired up by what she said was a "completely unfair" disqualification in the 200m individual medley semi-finals for a technical breach.
Also Tuesday night, Australia's Lani Pallister is among the medal fancies in the women's 1500m freestyle - the pet event of American legend Katie Ledecky.
Australian Associated Press
