Australia's hopes of claiming a medal at the world indoor athletics championships are almost certainly over after Sally Pearson failed to qualify for the 60 metres hurdles final.
It was the 2012 Olympic and reigning world 100 metres hurdles champion's worst performance at a major event since finishing seventh at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The warning signs for Pearson were clear on Friday when she finished second in her heat to 21-year-old Nigerian Tobi Amusan.
In her semi-final she was run down by Germany's Cindy Roleder, who finished behind world record holder Kendra Harrison to take second.
It meant the 31-year-old had to wait on the outcome of the final heat to see if she qualified as a fastest loser.
However, her time of 7.92 seconds was ninth quickest - leaving her one spot shy of a place in the decider.
Despite the setback, Pearson was philosophical about her situation and reiterated her comments from earlier in the week that she'd one eye on next month's Commonwealth Games in her home town of the Gold Coast.
"For me it was about coming here to get this quality racing before the Commonwealth Games, which I just can't get in Australia," Pearson said.
The American trio of Harrison, Christina Manning and Sharika Nelvis filled three of the top four qualifying spots with Nadine Visser chalking up a new Dutch record to be third fastest.
In the opening semi-final New South Wales' Michelle Jenneke finished seventh to also miss out on a place in the decider.
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