Olympic 400 metres champion Cathy Freeman returned to the training track today, ending a one-year break from athletics and turning her back on thoughts of retirement and motherhood.
"At one stage I even wanted a child, I thought I wanted a child," the Australian told reporters.
"I thought I wanted to retire (but) I absolutely do not want to retire," the 1997 and 1999 world champion added.
Freeman, 28, admitted she was eight kilograms over her racing weight as she began preparations for the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
She opted not to defend her world title in Edmonton this year.
"I certainly have no doubts that she can get back to number one in the world," Freeman's coach Peter Fortune said, adding that one of her biggest motivating factors would be proving wrong the people who had written her off.