Australian athletics' modern-day medals maestro Kelsey-Lee Barber returns to competition on Saturday at the national championships in Brisbane for the first time in 204 long days.
In a way, she reckons it feels like a lifetime.
The javelin superstar has been an ever-present figure on the medals podium at every global track and field meet since 2018.
Barber took it to a new level in 2022, winning gold at both the world championships in Eugene - a meet which had been pushed back a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic - and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the space of 16 days.
She then pushed on to claim silver in the Diamond League final in early September before taking a well-deserved spell.
"The long layoff was a combination of things," the 31-year-old told AAP.
"It was such a big season last year with the two major championships back to back.
"Then I had a cleanout on my ankle at the end of last season followed by the rehab.
"We had a plan in place to get the preparation ready for throwing again, to progress accordingly so I didn't get hurt or over-train.
"It just meant I couldn't compete any earlier.
"But the timing for the nationals fitted into the plan quite nicely, even though in a way it feels like a lifetime since I last competed."
It won't be a one-woman javelin show at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre on Saturday, with Barber to resume her rivalry with up-and-coming star Mackenzie Little.
The 26-year-old Little pushed her all the way in last year's Commonwealth Games final, twice smashing her personal best with throws of 64.03m and 64.27m before Barber produced yet another clutch final-round effort of 64.43m.
"I do feel I compete at my best with a few competitions under my belt, with the specificity of the timing and the speed you need to have to deliver the javelin," said Barber.
"I haven't done enough of that specific work just yet so the expectations are unknown.
"But I do enjoy the competitive environment that comes with a big meet like the nationals.
"Coming up against Mackenzie is always a massive challenge.
"She has always had the potential to do great things and what she has done in the last few years for me isn't unexpected at all."
The 100th edition of the Australian titles doubles as the selection meet for the world championships in Budapest in August.
Among the big-name absentees are reigning high jump world champion Eleanor Patterson (broken foot), world championshjps pole vault bronze medallist Nina Kennedy (back) and Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist Olli Hoare, who has returned to his US training base.
Commonwealth Games 800m silver medallist Peter Bol is also a no-show, even though his provisional suspension was lifted after a second doping test did not confirm an initial positive return for EPO.
Bol's lawyer Paul Greene said earlier this week that independent testing at two laboratories showed no trace of any banned substance.in Bol's samples.
A Sport Integrity Australia investigation is ongoing.
KELSEY-LEE BARBER'S FABULOUS RUN OF MAJOR SUCCESS
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games - Silver (63.89m)
2019 Doha world championships - Gold - (66.56m)
2021 Tokyo Olympics - Bronze - (64.56m)
2022 Eugene world championships - Gold - (66.91m)
2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games - Gold (64.43m):
