It's been a tough week for Sally Pearson, but the Olympic champion still believes her injury woes will prove a blessing in disguise.
Pearson admits she's struggled to handle the reality of the world athletic championships getting underway in Beijing without her.
While the rest of the Australian team is in China, Pearson is on the Gold Coast continuing her rehabilitation from the broken wrist she suffered in Europe in June.
Although Pearson has known for a long time she wouldn't be at the world championships, seeing them start has been hard to take.
"I always knew this week was going to be the hardest week to get through," Pearson told AAP at the announcement of Jupiter's Casino as the first official partner of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
"Obviously it's exciting for the athletes who are there and for the Australian team especially but, because it is an individual sport, you are a bit kind of 'come on, can't I be there as well?'
"I want to be in there with the team and enjoying myself and at the same time doing the event I love."
Pearson says she is trying not to watch Friday's final of the 100m hurdles, though she concedes she may change her mind.
The 28-year-old believes her injury will actually help, not hinder, her bid to defend her Olympic crown in Rio next year.
She feels while her rivals rest post world-championships, she'll be getting back towards a full program.
"I feel like I'm ahead of the game," she said.
"While everyone's having their rest after world champs I'll be right into training and getting fitter, stronger and faster."
Pearson says she expects to return to full training on September 7 but won't start hurdling again until the new year.
"That's normal for me, whether I was injured or not," she said.
"That's a while away yet which is kind of good because this (wrist) is definitely not ready and my calf is not ready to hurdle yet."
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