Eric Hollngsworth, the performance director of Athletics Australia, said that the 27-year-old was upset by the reports and had never seriously contemplated switching allegiance to Britain, where she now lives with her Yorkshire-born husband, Chris Rawlinson.

He said: "She's Australian and will be running for Australia."

Rawlinson, the 2003 and 2007 world 400 metres hurdles champion, is based in Loughborough and has applied for UK citizenship.

Hollingsworth said: "She's over there living in the UK and she inquired about a British passport in terms of ease of movement around Europe and the European Union and competition and all those kind of things.

"The fact of the matter is, once her body is healthy she will compete for Australia.

"Jana is quite distressed by the media approach to the rumours but Jana is Australian, she's got an Australian passport and she will remain an Australian.

"This is someone who spends an hour and a half painting her nails with the Australian flag - does that strike you as someone who's going to be leaving Australia?"

Rawlinson has not competed for Australia since late 2007 and is currently recovering from Achilles tendon surgery last month and hopes to be fit in time to compete at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October where she would be seeking a hat-trick of 400m hurdles titles.

Hollingsworth said: "She is still a chance but that is not our number one priority, our number one priority is to get her fit and healthy and ready for the London Olympics."

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