Lauren Wells has always been careful to avoid "the r-word" since taking a small step back from athletics - the star hurdler knew she had unfinished business on the track.
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Now the 12-time Australian champion can consider the bulk of it taken care of.
Wells claimed a stunning 12th national 400 metres hurdles title with a personal best time of 54.87 seconds at the Australian track and field championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre on Sunday.
The 31-year-old ran her fastest time since 2013 and in doing so racked up a time athletics in Australia hasn't seen for quite some time to revive her world championship prospects.
Wells took a small step back from athletics to focus on her job as a full-time teacher last year to seemingly end her international career, but she never uttered "retirement".
She was just "re-prioritising" - and now another national title has reignited the flame with a trip to Tokyo for next year's Olympic Games not out of the question.
"I probably always knew I was capable of running a time like that, and I just always had that feeling in me that I had unfinished business and I knew there was more I could do," Wells said.
"I'm just so rapt I could pull it out at nationals where it means the most. It's been an interesting season, a lot of the girls have really stepped up and I've had a couple of defeats. That's really kept me on my toes.
"The first person I saw after the race was my coach Matt Beckenham and he was basically in tears. It's been 16 years that we've worked together and it has been an incredible partnership.
"'Thank you' just isn't enough to him. I owe everything to him, and I am just so thankful to have in my corner. He has been so professional and passionate this whole time. If I didn't have his belief and his courage, I wouldn't be here today, so this is all to Matty."
Wells had already qualified to compete for Australia at the world track and field championships in Doha later this year - but she did it after finishing second in Canberra, a result that left her "gutted".
"I didn't know how to feel," Wells said.
"That's what Matt said to me after the race, 'this is what you wanted isn't it?' We've wanted competition all along. Knowing the race wasn't done and dusted from the start line, I really had to fight for it.
"I really tried to focus on my own lane and I really just had to concentrate on executing my own race plan. Matt said to me before the race 'don't put a time limit on what you think you can run, you could run anything today'.
"That belief has got me where I am."
She wasn't the only Canberran coming away with gold at nationals after Kelsey-Lee Barber claimed another javelin title at the Australian championships on Saturday night.
Barber threw 63.33 metres - another world championship qualifier - to win gold and cap off her best ever series of throws.
The 27-year-old will now set her sights on a Diamond League campaign on the long road to Tokyo, which looms as a shot at redemption for Barber after she finished 28th in her Olympic debut three years ago.