West Australian swimmer Blair Evans was once told she'd never run or swim again - and that was even before her horror injury run really set in.
Evans shocked the swimming world earlier this month when she won the 400m individual medley at the national titles to secure her spot at the Rio Olympics.
It was a huge display of guts and determination from Evans, who had been dogged by serious neck and shoulder injuries since the London Games and often wondered whether she'd be able to make it back on the biggest international stage.
Even during her childhood Evans was forced to overcome the odds.
The talented swimmer was just 11 years old when she was told she had cancer after undergoing scans on her troublesome hip.
Subsequent biopsies revealed it wasn't cancer, but rather osteomyelitis - a huge infection in her ball and socket joint.
After undergoing surgery, Evans was told she would never run or swim again.
But within a few years she was back to full speed, and by the age of 21 she was competing at the 2012 London Olympics.
Evans crashed out at the heat stage at the 400m individual medley in London, but she's every chance to reach the final in Rio given her recent form.
However, just getting to Rio has proven to be an epic journey.
A serious shoulder injury and two bulging discs in her neck threatened to cut Evans' career short.
But her fighting spirit wouldn't allow her to put up the white flag.
"I didn't want to retire," Evans said.
"I had so much unfinished business from 2012. I didn't get the results I wanted.
"There was never a point where I said 'this will be it'.
"There were definitely times where I said, 'I don't know if I could do this'.
"I had a few setbacks, and got dropped out of funding. So it was very hard financially for me and my family to keep me going at such a level.
"But I'm grateful for Dean Peters (who works as a business strategist with AFL club West Coast Eagles).
"He came on board and he sat me down and said, 'Look, I'm behind you. Let's do it'. And got me some financial support, which helped over the past six to eight months."
Evans also paid special tribute to her coach Bud McAllister, who helped find a way to repair her battered body.
"When I transferred to Bud I sat down and said, 'I'm basically a broken swimmer, what can you do with me?
"He said, 'I've got you, we can do this'.
Evans said her family and physio were also crucial in keeping her Rio dream alive.
"To this day, I owe them everything for keeping me sane and in the water," she said.
"I chucked a lot of tantrums, and had a lot of sooks in that time. But they kept me on track."
With the Rio Games less than four months away, Evans has one major goal - to stay injury and illness free.
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