After failing to qualify for the London Olympics earlier this year, is Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe staring at retirement No. 2?
His simple answer: No.
Thorpe, who stepped away from the sport in 2006 after a career that earned him a total of nine medals (five gold) at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, attempted to qualify for London in the 100m and 200m freestyle. Thing is, Thorpe’s comeback sputtered at the Olympic Trials – he didn’t make the finals in either race.
The 30-year-old Aussie is currently on a book tour Down Under to promote his new autobiography, “This Is Me.” Among the topics he addresses in the book are rumors of him being gay (which he denies) and his battle with depression and suicidal thoughts.
And, in an interview with Fox Sports News, he said his next goals are to compete in the 2013 World Championships and the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Thorpe has been training in Switzerland.
“Everything is on a two-year plan for me these days,” Thorpe said in the interview. “What I didn’t like about London was that I was rushing to make it. I’m not going to do that this time. I’ll do what I want to do and what I feel I can do.”
If nothing else, the Australian swim team could use a veteran like Thorpe to provide leadership in the wake of a scandal that allegedly had some of the athletes sleepwalking through London this summer.
