Elijah Winnington has demonstrated his mental strength to produce a beautifully timed swim and strike gold in the world short-course championships at the same Budapest venue where he first made his name as a Dolphins' powerhouse.
Two years since lifting the equivalent long-course title in the Hungarian capital, Winnington powered through over the last three lengths on Thursday to take another gold in the 400m freestyle.
It was Australia's second title after Lani Pallister's gold in the 800m freestyle, and an emotional one for 24-year-old Queenslander Winnington, who'd taken silver at the Olympics in July.
