World 400 metres hurdles champion Jana Pittman is still hoping to compete at the Athens Olympics despite injuring her knee at a Golden League meet in Zurich on Friday.

Australia's best hope for a track and field gold medal, Pittman was diagnosed with a torn cartilage after injuring herself during the warm-up.

The 21-year-old landed awkwardly after clearing a hurdle during practice and was taken to a Swiss hospital for scans.

She was due to see a specialist on Saturday who will decide whether she needs surgery but Pittman told Australian television she was hopeful of a quick recovery.

"I know I can do it, I'll be back, I'll be strong, I'll be ready," she said. "I've just got to have faith and keep strong."

Pittman's coach Phil King told Australian Associated Press he will do everything possible to get her to Athens.

The Athens Games begin on August 13 but the first round of heats in the women's 400m hurdles don't start for another eight days and the final is not until August 25.

"We'll do whatever it takes to give Jana every possible chance of recovering from this setback," King said.

Organisers at the Zurich meet released a statement saying Pittman had torn the lateral or outer meniscus.

DIFFICULT DECISION

Australian doctors said the injury would almost certainly need surgery, either to repair the damage or remove part of the meniscus, leaving Pittman facing a difficult decision.

If she has the damage repaired, she will be sidelined for at least three months but will fully recover. If part of the meniscus is removed, she can resume training within a few days but will probably develop arthritis in a decade.

"The dilemma for Jana is, does she just get the thing cut out for the short-term gain to go to the Olympics or does she look after her long-term future in athletics," Australian sports doctor Nathan Gibbs said.

News of Pittman's injury dominated television and radio broadcasts in Australia, where she is regarded as the heir apparent to Cathy Freeman, who won Australia's only track and field gold at the Sydney Olympics four years ago.

Australia's sports-loving Prime Minister John Howard, in Samoa for a meeting of Pacific Island leaders, wished her a quick recovery.

"I know that all Australians will be concerned," Howard was quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press.

"She's a wonderful athlete and a wonderful person and a great representative of our country and we all hope that she'll get better quickly and be ready."