Olympic 400m champion Cathy Freeman may take a year off from the track, dealing a blow to Australia's medal hopes at this year's world championships.

Freeman, also the world 400m champion, is expected to announce her decision not to race in 2001 later this week.

On Sunday, her coach Peter Fortune said Freeman had spoken with him about her plans for this year, but he declined to elaborate.

"I'd rather leave that up to her," he said.

Freeman has not competed in the Australian domestic track and field season and local media reports on Sunday said she was considering her future in the sport.

Melbourne newspapers quoted a source close to Freeman as saying the 28-year-old was mentally worn out after the pressures of the Sydney Olympics, where she lit the cauldron and won the 400m in 49.11 seconds.

She took a longer than usual break after the Games and only returned to training early this year.

Freeman is expected to continue training throughout 200.

But it is understood she will not defend her 400m world championship title, nor compete at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane in August and September.