The Tokyo Olympics will mark coach Rohan Taylor's first in charge of the Australian swim team and his main goal during the Games is to pinch as many medals off the United States as possible.
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At the 2016 Rio Games, the United States finished first in the swimming event, winning a total of 33 medals, including 16 golds.
While Australia came second, with 10 medals, three of which were gold.
"The Americans have a target because they're the proven performers at the Olympics," the former Shoalhaven Academy Swimming Club coach Taylor said to Swimming Australia.
"They are the number one - we're trying to pinch as many as we can from them and we need to prove ourselves.
"They [the US] have got predictions that they will win all the female events - that's great if they think that.
"It's up to us to take those medals from them and we plan on trying to have a crack at it."
Based on current rankings - which have long been a reliable guide to forecasting medal winners - the latest data indicates the 35-strong team picked for Tokyo could be the greatest ever to wear the green and gold togs.
Australia is ranked number one in the world in 13 events on the Olympic swimming program for Tokyo.
Of course, that doesn't mean they will win them all but if the Dolphins collect nine golds that will break the Australian record for the most won at a single Olympic Games - eight - set way back in 1956 when Dawn Fraser and Murray Rose were spearheading the first golden era of Australia.
It's not just gold medals either.
Australia's swimmers are also forecast to win five silver and five bronze for a total of 23 - surpassing the record of 20 from the 2008 Beijing Olympics during the last golden era.
"I'm not going to give you a number," Taylor, who's Australian team only managed to win 10 medals at the 2012 and 2016 Games, said.
"The standard we have ... going into the next phase, puts us in a great position, but that's all it does.
"I'm really excited about what opportunities are presented going forward."
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Courtney Ward
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
