DESPITE admitting there is a risk it may happen again, perhaps in Beijing, Eamon Sullivan's coach Grant Stoelwinder is confident a back injury that last night ended Sullivan's race the second he dived into the pool will not hamper his Olympic campaign.

Sullivan sent chills through most on pooldeck at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre when he left the blocks for the 50m freestyle but instantly pulled up and then paddled his way down the pool, eventually touching in 34.99s in a grand prix meeting. The previous time he swam a 50m in the same pool he set a world record and became the fastest man in water with a 21.28s performance at the Olympic trials in March.

Just a month out from the Games, there were concerned looks around the venue, and everyone wondered if his Olympic campaign in the 50m and 100m freestyle was in question. But Stoelwinder swiftly allayed fears, saying he doesn't feel it will be a setback for Beijing.

"On Monday morning he popped a rib in his back, it's the same injury he had at the last orientation camp before the last grand prix [in April] and it has been really good up until this point," Stoelwinder said. "On Tuesday morning he had a cortisone injection and went out did a bit of light swimming on Thursday and we thought we were ready to go this afternoon …

"The plan was if he felt any twinges when he dived in, that he wouldn't swim the race through. There was a twinge, so it was more of a precaution that he pulled up. Hopefully after a couple more days and laying off the dives for another week, he'll be right. It was seemingly better when he was swimming but the dive was always going to be the test."

Sullivan has been plagued with injuries throughout his career, and, as a result, Stoelwinder said his swimmer was not overly concerned with the injury, which doesn't affect his swimming but only his dive. Injuries and setbacks didn't affect Sullivan and "that's what makes Eamon so strong, he deals with it very well now."

"He's pretty positive over there. He knows what he's done and what he needs to do and I don't think that will affect him," Stoelwinder said.

Asked if he was concerned because this was a recurrence of an injury, that it might happen again, perhaps in Beijing, Stoelwinder replied: "There's always a risk in everything isn't there?

"It's just one of those things, we'll have to get the treatment right, get the rehab right and I'm sure … he did this also two weeks before a shortcourse meet and he swam one of the best shortcourse meets he's ever had.

"It's what coaching Eamon is about, it's about these things, and I'm sure that come Beijing we're not going to have any problems.

"We've done some great work leading into this. It's not a setback and I don't think it's going to affect him for Beijing …"

Sullivan's was one of a few niggling injuries throughout the Australian team. His girlfriend, Stephanie Rice, was a late withdrawal from last night's heats, also with a back complaint, Craig Stevens was another absentee as he continues to recover for a rib injury, and Leisel Jones withdrew with tightness in her groin.