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The design on physics student Cameron McEvoy’s swimming cap represents a space-time ripple.
What he achieved at the Rio Olympic trials in Adelaide may just be Australian swimming’s equivalent.
The aspiring astronaut will be aiming for the stars at the Rio Olympics after becoming the first Australian in history to claim the national freestyle triple crown.
McEvoy clocked a personal best 21.44 seconds – the world’s second fastest time of the year – to claim the 50m title on Wednesday night.
It marked the first time someone had won the national 50m, 100m and 200m at the same meet since the one-lap event was added to the program in 1983.
McEvoy, 21, had earlier dead heated for the 200m gold and clocked the third fastest time ever to claim the 100m title.
The man dubbed “The Professor” will like what he sees when he crunches the numbers after the trials.
He is now ranked No.1 in the 100m, No.2 in the 50m and equal second in the 200m in the world ahead of the Rio Games.
Suddenly it’s hip to be square.
McEvoy’s efforts in the pool in Adelaide have dropped almost as many jaws as they did pool-side when media asked what the squiggly line on his cap meant.
“It is the detection signal when two super massive black holes collided and made space-time ripple – the noise of two black holes colliding somewhere a billion light years away,” he said to confused silence.
It seems McEvoy will be making waves of his own in Rio judging by his Adelaide heroics.
McEvoy can now conceivably go for gold in all three freestyle events plus three relays at Rio.
“It gives me confidence,” he said.
“I know I am in a great spot to handle a week like this (at Olympics).
“Add in the extra depth in each event at Rio and (up to three) relays, Rio will definitely be another level on top of this physically and mentally.
“I have a lot to do but I am aware of what must be done.”
Not that McEvoy was getting too carried away with his 50m effort.
It was just shy of French giant Florent Manaudou’s world best 21.42 for 2016.
However, McEvoy reckoned daylight separated his gold medal-winning effort and Manaudou’s stunning 21.19 that clinched last year’s world title.
It was just shy of Brazil word record holder Cesar Cielo’s 20.91.
“Florent will probably have time to have a cup of coffee by the time I finish (50m),” McEvoy laughed.