Melissa Hoskins has revealed how after feeling like she'd been "hit by a truck" she did not know until the opening day of track cycling competition that she would be fit to take part from the outset.
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It was only after trying a standing start on a bike in the athletes' village on Thursday morning – Hoskins' first attempt at the vital skill since she was hospitalised after a training crash that sent shockwaves through Australia's track team – that a green light on her fitness was formalised.
Hoskins has also detailed how fellow team pursuit squad member Ashlee Ankudinoff, left in reserve for Thursday's qualifying, was struggling more than she was while recovering from the high speed group tumble.
Initially, Hoskins was convinced there was no way she would be fit for competition until this weekend. But she suggested Ankudinoff's inferior condition forced the decision on selection.
The Australian cycling team announced on Wednesday night that Hoskins, a critical member of the team that set a world record in the 4000metre event last year, was officially on the start list for competition that started at the velodrome in Rio on Thursday afternoon.
But after Australia qualified third fastest in the event - Great Britain took over as world record holders with a sizzling ride - Hoskins admitted her fitness was far from certain until race day.
"It was this morning," she said. "I hadn't done a standing start until this morning at the accommodation.
"Yesterday I came here to do a 30-lap potter around the track. I wasn't even looking at riding until Saturday but then Ash didn't pull up too well and they threw me in for a flying lap and a half yesterday and I just got thrown in, literally and it was one of those things that this was maybe going to be our best option.
"So we've got three girls firing and then we've got a choice of two. We've got another day now, so I think we're looking forward to that."
Asked about the gamble of racing the qualifying, Hoskins said: "There's two of us that are struggling physically from the crash on Monday at the moment, Ash and I, who came off probably the hardest out of all. And for us it has been a real challenge.
"You've been doing it for four years and we want to put the best person in because we want to give us the best shot for Saturday. So whoever they decide to put in [today] we were okay with the decision because at the end of the day if all went pear shaped we were potentially going to be the one that had to wear it."
