Thorpe back in the swim
(Daily Telegragh)
Updated: 2006-10-10 08:36 Ian Thorpe has wasted no time
getting back to business after his return from the US.
Exclusive Daily Telegraph pictures show that Thorpe was back in training at
the Sutherland Leisure Centre with his coach Tracey Menzies on Monday- less than
a day after arriving from his three-month sojourn in Los Angeles.
The five-time Olympic gold medal winner spent most of the Australian winter
training in LA in preparation for his return to major competition at next year's
Melbourne world championships in March.
Thorpe has not competed at a major international meeting since the 2004
Athens Olympic Games.
He is now gearing up for a comeback at December's world championship
selection trials in Brisbane.
It has been a testing year for the swimming superstar, who pulled out of the
Commonwealth Games with glandular fever before a broken hand in April further
delayed his comeback plans.
Australian head swimming coach Alan Thompson said yesterday he planned to
meet Thorpe in Sydney on Thursday to discuss his preparation for the trials,
where he is expected to contest the 100m and 200m freestyle.
Menzies said Thorpe could return to his best in time for the 2008 Beijing
Olympics.
"I'm sure like any athlete there's a lot of work that's got to go in, I'll
just have to assess in the next couple of weeks really where we're at and what
we need to do," she said.
"But the big picture's Beijing so that's what we're working
towards."
|
