Javelin star Kim Mickle will learn soon whether she requires surgery to mend the injured shoulder which cruelled her world championships campaign.
Mickle arrived in Beijing well below full fitness, having damaged the rotator cuff and ligament in her throwing shoulder last month in a German gymnasium.
She downplayed any problems on the eve of the world titles, only to crash out in qualifying.
Only then did the 30-year-old reveal the extent of the injury.
Australian head coach Craig Hilliard said the 2013 world championships silver medallist had been determined to compete in Beijing and had received the go-ahead from team doctors.
"She was fairly headstrong about what she wanted to do, she went out and performed, certainly not to her ability, but she wanted to find out one way or another," said Hilliard.
"The injury she has got is clearly a rehab one for another length of time or potentially surgery.
"The medical staff will go through the process with her and come up with the ideal solution.
"At the end of the day Kim was convinced in herself that competing outweighed the risk of further damage."
Australia's other two female javelin throwers, the experienced Kathryn Mitchell and 2012 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Roberts, also failed to advance from qualifying in what had shaped as one of Australia's strongest events in Beijing.
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