You would have been forgiven for thinking Travis Nederpelt won the national 200 metres butterfly title on Tuesday night after the Western Australian teenager was swamped for booking a world titles berth with his "gutsiest" swim.

While Commonwealth champion Justin Norris defended his national title, all eyes were on Nederpelt who took silver to book a flight to the world titles at Barcelona in July despite breaking his right wrist seven weeks ago.

The 17 year old thought his national titles campaign was over before could begin it at the Sydney Aquatic Centre when he damaged his wrist while hitting his girlfriend's punching bag at training.

Despite having his cast removed just four days before the nationals started, the Perth resident completed a remarkable turnaround by clocking 1min:58.92sec to claim silver behind Norris (1:57.49) in his weakest event.

Not surprisingly Nederpelt was feeling no pain.

"It didn't hurt at all. I didn't feel it - my whole body was in pain," he laughed.

"No, I didn't (think I would make the world titles team), especially in butterfly which is ..the least I have trained for so I am really surprised.

"It's the gutsiest swim I have ever done. It was just the hardest I have ever been in...I just tried to think about making the team the whole way."

Nederpelt's star has been on the rise since he was named the Youth Swimmer of the Year last year.

The WA teen then claimed a record seven gold medals at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney in January, clocking the seventh fastest 400m IM time by an Australian along the way.

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