The Queensland-based para-swimmer, who was part of the Australian team at the Rio Paralympics, has tasted highs this year like breaking a 27-year-old world record and collecting four gold Japan Para Championships, which came after the heartbreak of only just missing out for selection for world championships in London.

"January to that Japan meet (in September) was a bit of a bumpy ride after missing out on the worlds team,'' the 24-year-old said during a recent trip home to the Coast.

"The couple of years after Rio I wasn't as happy with how things went, but 2018 was a really good year and at the trials in April I was doing PBs, so missing out on the team for worlds was really hard as from January to April this year I was in the best shape I have been in.

"I do think that everything is looking good for Tokyo, as even though I missed out on the (worlds) team I was putting down times which were world class, so missing out was a real hurdle. I didn't drop my head, apart from maybe for a couple of days after, and it was a good test for me as the important one is next year and now those worlds are done, we're back to square one and everyone is back on an even playing field and I feel like I have built a lot of character and I am ready for next year."

Templeton, who has retinitis pigmentosa, self-funded his trip to Japan to ensure he could have more experience in international events.

"I did it because I was so close to being on the team, and I was probably the next one in line to be selected, so I thought it was really important to get that international racing experience, so I think going to Japan was really good,'' he said.

"I am ranked sixth in the world in one of my classes and seventh in the other, so to get an A selection time I am probably looking at a fourth or a fifth in the world rankings and I am very confident that will happen. That all comes down to the work and how much I put in, but considering how willing I am to put that in, I'd say I'm very confident."