Jodie Henry, the Olympic champion over 100m freestyle, is in a hard place, according to reports from Australia. For the second time this pre-Olympic season, illness is said to be behind her no-show for a 100m freestyle test, this time at the Victorian state titles. With national Olympic trials a few strokes away and the likes of Lisbeth Lenton and Cate Campbell champing at the bit, Henry's very presence for the defense of her crown in Beijing is in doubt.

At Queensland titles late last year, Henry missed one event because of a false start and the another because of illness.

Her coach Drew McGregor told AAP that his new charge is still suffering the after-effects of the illness that caused her to withdraw from the Queensland event.

Head coach Alan Thompson told the agency: "I've got to say I'm concerned, but we all know Jodie and how well she can race. You've got to put your trust in what they're doing is the right thing. Hopefully by the time the trials come around she'll be healthy, and have done sufficient work to be back on the team. Certainly the concern grows the longer this sort of thing goes on."

Words like hope and back on the team appear to suggest a relay berth is what Henry may have to settle for if she cannot find a decent sub 54-second sprint by trials.

It is as yet uncertain as to whether Henry will race the 50m and 200m at the Victorian meet, which ends on Tuesday.

The trials start on March 22, but McGregor has doubts about whether Henry will be able to get back to best: "The last few weeks she's picked up an infection at the Queensland states, and got sick on top of that. She trained this morning and the intention is to do the 50 and the 200. There's no doubt she's running out of time, but we'll do our best."

Henry left her long-time coach Shannon Rollason last year, and moved back to Brisbane from Canberra, eventually opting to be guided by McGregor.

In Henry's absence, Alice Mills was fastest in heats, on 55.80sec, while Natalie Coughlin (USA) is clearly not in Australia to race: she finished 11th, and went straight back to the training pool.