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Ian Thorpe to stick to relays
2011-05-18
IAN THORPE said today he would confine his comeback to shorter relays, overruling speculation he may return to compete in the 400m freestyle which helped make his fame.
Torpe today said he would aim to compete in the 100m and 200m men's relays, despite coach Gennadi Touretski stating two weeks ago the 400m was possible.
The 28-year-old star fronted the media to assure the public he remains on track for a comeback this November, despite confirming it will be confined to an attempt to make Australia's relay team for the 100m and 200m events at the 2012 London Olympics.
"I'm pretty happy with what my progress has been,'' Thorpe said in Sydney.
But he re-iterated that he had a tight time frame for his training, confined to swimming freestyle.
"I honestly don't think I have enough time to do anything for the 400m,'' he answered when asked if he might try for the distance.
Thorpe sought to ease worries over his comeback progress by stating he was "pretty happy'' with his training - despite last week's lament on how tough it is.
"I'm satisfied,'' Thorpe said. "I'm content where I'm at but I have a lot to do.
"Satisfied doesn't mean I'm there, by no means, I'm not at all. But I'm happy with where I'm at.''
He emphasised that past comments that he wanted to be able to swim as fast as he did when he won his five gold medals were intended to ensure he would be competitive in today's swimming.
"For to be at my best, just to make the team,'' he said.
Thorpe recently completed a gruelling 10-day block of high altitude training in Switzerland, where he is training under Touretski.
"It's something that really tests the capacities that we have, so it was good,'' Thorpe said.
He is back home partly to touch base with national coach Leigh Nugent, with the aim for a November comeback at Singapore's World Cup series than the Queensland titles in December.
Thorpe said that training in the Middle East and Europe had been tough because he was away from friends and family, but it was the best way for him to prepare.
"I am Australian, always have been, always will be and when i'm away training i'm always thinkng about home,'' he said.
He described his Russian coach   Touretski as "left-field'' and said his work had been stimulating and demanding.
Thorpe said he had done everything the coach had asked.
Last week in London, Thorpe indicated he found the training gruelling and was still a long way off his best.
"At the moment I'm not very close to being where I was before,'' Thorpe said.
"I'm on track with the level that I thought I would be, but London is getting very close now and it's a real struggle.''