Two-time Olympic medallist Bronwen Knox considered calling an end to her water polo career after suffering a freak injury just nine months out from the Rio Games.
The Australian women's team captain hasn't played a match since fracturing her collarbone during a test event in November in Brazil.
Her first competitive hitout will come later this month in a crucial three-Test series against reigning Olympic champions the USA in California.
"It's been a hard road coming back," she told AAP on Thursday, day one of a camp at Canberra's Australian Institute of Sport.
"In 12 years, I haven't had more than eight weeks off so to have that, mid-prep, is not ideal.
"When I first found out what the injury was, I was thinking 'oh no, this is my Olympic dream over. Am I going to get back in time? Is it worth getting back and am I going to be at my peak?'
"There was that thought, but I wasn't willing to step away nine months out after 3.5 years' work.
"I was willing to do whatever it took."
Knox, who won Olympic bronze with the Stingers in Beijing in 2008 and at London in 2012, was told it was the first time an Australian had injured their collarbone while playing water polo.
Doctors opted against surgery, for which the 30-year-old was grateful.
"I don't even notice now and I'm back at 100 per cent," said Knox, who was undecided if she would keep playing after the Olympics.
The Stingers are considered a gold-medal contender in Rio, and will have a chance to test their mettle against the USA and other top-ranked nations this month and in June at the World League finals.
The USA won gold in London, having dominated the world stage in the build-up, but have either lost or drawn at least a dozen times over the past few years - half of them to Australia.
"They're not unbeatable," she said. "We've closed the gap quite a bit.
"This is probably the most prepared and connected team we've had. There's no divide between the seniors who've been there and the younger girls; we've really started to form that strong bond."
The current squad of 16, which boasts eight Olympians, will be cut down next month to 13.
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