A defiant Sally Pearson says she is yet to reach the peak of her powers as an athlete and won't rule out a push for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
But for now, Pearson says she is setting her sights on next year's world championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast as she comes to terms with being forced out of the Rio Olympics by injury.
"I know what type of athlete I am and what I'm capable of as an athlete. I don't think I've reached my peak yet. I think I'm capable of a lot more," Pearson told reporters on Thursday.
"I'm only 29, track and field athletes can go on for a bit longer.
"But at this stage I'm only looking forward to 2018.
"There's not many chances you get to run in a major championships 10 minutes up the road from your house. It will be pretty special."
Pearson, the reigning Olympic 100m hurdles champion, would be 31 for the Commonwealth Games and 34 by the time of the Toyko Olympics.
But she won't be going to Rio after suffering a tear to her right hamstring during training on Monday at her Gold Coast base - seven weeks and one day out from her first scheduled Games heat.
The tear was small but significant, in a "high-risk" location near her tendon and Pearson said she immediately knew it would put her Olympic hopes in serious risk.
It comes 12 months after she suffered a broken wrist and a torn calf in a Diamond League event in Rome, a traumatic set of injuries that made her consider retirement.
But Pearson insists she won't throw in the towel after her latest setback.
"This is what I do, as a job, this is who I am. I'm not just going to give up because I have an injury," Pearson said.
"This is a low time for me and it has been for a few years with different injuries, but I've always bounced back, I've always come back fitter, stronger and faster, and achieved amazing things still through adversity.
"It's unfortunate, these are the down times, but the highs always make up for it."
Athletics Australia head coach Craig Hilliard said he was "devastated" for Pearson but believed she would bounce back and that the rest of the Australian team could have a successful campaign in Rio without her.
"Clearly her body is telling her it needs a rest from the sustained mental and physical workload needed to train and compete at the highest level," he said.
"However, I am confident that with appropriate rehabilitation and rest she can be back as strong as ever."
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