BROOKE GRADDON has vowed to train through the pain barrier and beyond in order to keep her dream alive of competing at the Olympic Games.

Plymouth Diving's international star (left) is awaiting a cortisone injection to help deaden the pain in her shoulder so she can compete at next year's all-important national championships which couples as Olympic qualifiers.

Graddon is pinning her hopes on the injection 'buying her time and relief from the pain' in order to start training seriously again.

The 23-year-old underwent an operation to help cure a torn tendon in her shoulder which has prevented her from training alongside Great Britain team-mates Tom Daley and Tonia Couch.

But Graddon told Herald Sport that 'quitting will not be an option' unless the pain becomes unbearable and she knows she is unable to give '100 per cent' in her bid to win a place at the London 2012 Games.

Graddon said: "My whole focus is to compete at the Olympics in London, but recovering from my shoulder operation is hindering me big-time on achieving that.

"I've got the British Nationals early next year when I need to come in the (10m platform) top three to be considered for the important Olympic qualifying series of events.

"But at the moment I'm in a lot of discomfort following the operation in October, which I'm told is a natural occurrence.

"However, it means I cannot train from the top board, so I'm unable to physically get my arm in the right position to complete the dive from 10metres.

"Under normal circumstances, the specialists say I should rest up for say another month, but that's not possible if I want to get in the best shape possible for the nationals."

Graddon added: "I'm just waiting on the cortisone injection, which hopefully will hit the spot on the repaired torn tendon and free me up to start training full-time.

"I'm already behind schedule compared to the others, but after more than 17 years of competing, I'm not about to give up now without a real fight.

"Competing at the Olympics is a dream for any athlete, especially one in your own country, and I'll be absolutely devastated if I couldn't make it."

Graddon won a silver medal in the women's 10m platform in the British Championships earlier this year.

She has also won a bronze medal in the European Championships in 2009, after becoming British title holder a year earlier.