Kyle Chalmers admits he's never really been a morning person. That has to change before the Tokyo Games and the Olympic champion plans to make every post a winner on the way there.

The South Australian set the pace on Wednesday to be fastest into the 100m freestyle final at the world championship trials in Brisbane, having already qualified for the July meet in Korea with victory in the 200m.

Rise and shine: Kyle Chalmers knows he must fire in the morning races at major meets. Credit:AAP

But the best looks yet to come. Chalmers gapped rivals in his final heat to touch at 47.91s, which secured lane four ahead of Cameron McEvoy, who went 48.75s and dearly wants an individual swim next month.

Chalmers will go faster on Wednesday night and could well send a message to his global rivals if he dips into the mid-to-low 47s. But nights have always been his friend. It's the early starts that have presented the issue.

At last year's Pan Pacs meet in Japan, Chalmers missed the final of the 200m. His swim was decent but he left himself behind two other Australians and missed the decider. That's something he doesn't want to happen again.

The main reason he wants to feel much sharper during the mornings is that at Tokyo 2020, the finals will be held in the AM to accommodate the American broadcast schedule. That's the time of day he has to be at his peak if he wants to defend the gold medal he won in Rio.

"It's something I do want to work on. You go to the major competitions like world champs and you have to be on in the morning. I do want to practice going faster," Chalmers said.

"Pan Pacs, my 200, I really thought it was going to be good. I missed the final only due to being the third Aussie. It was still the fastest time I'd swum in the morning.

"Historically I haven't been amazing in the mornings … the Olympics is going to be finals in the morning. Time to start practicing."

He looks in imposing form and the main race looks to be for second. McEvoy was favourite for Olympic gold in Rio but failed to fire in the final and has battled to regain his pre-Brazil form ever since.

Clyde Lewis also represents an intriguing addition to the race, having skipped what was his main race, the 400m IM, to focus on being a 100m-200m freestyler.

In other heats, Mitch Larkin looked in excellent shape to lead qualifying for the final of the 200IM, although he can't be sure whether he can compete in the race at next year's Olympics due to a scheduling clash with his favoured 200m backstroke.

That won't be the case in Korea next month and a big result there could give him food for thought as to what he does with the race over the next 12 months.

"It's getting more and more serious. I've got the chance to swim it at worlds obviously, with no clash of events. It's a little bit serious. At the Olympics it clashes with the 200m back. I'll swim it this year and see what happens."

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