Ian Thorpe, Australia’s greatest Olympian, suffered more frustration and disappointment at Singapore’s World Cup short course meeting as he failed to make the final of the 100m butterfly.
Thorpe conceded that the first steps of his comeback plan towards the London Olympics after a five- year absence from the sport had offered him a ‘reality check’.
After finishing one from last in the previous evening’s 100m individual medley, Thorpe had hoped to put in a better showing in the more familiar butterfly event.
However, he was clearly deflated to finish third in his heat in a modest 54.09 sec, leaving him 11th fastest in the field while only eight qualified for the final.
“I’m disappointed that I didn’t go a bit faster this morning and also because I thought technically some things would be better” he said.
“I think I had to have a kind of reality check of where I am as opposed to how I feel about the way I’m training.”
Thorpe won’t be swimming either the individual medley or the butterfly in nine months’ time.
He may be able to get a more accurate picture of his Olympic potential next weekend, when he will compete in the 100m freestyle, one of his intended Olympic targets.
“You know, it’s been really good for me” he said. “I came here expecting to get absolutely hammered in these races. I knew it was going to happen and anyone who didn’t think it was going to happen didn’t have that perspective.
“I look at this competition and I look at the way I felt three months ago and these results are fantastic," Thorpe added.
"If I take it back three weeks ago, they’re all right. So I’m happy with the progression I’m making. I haven’t raced for a long time and it was good to have to assess your results on technical things rather than just on results.”
“I think a lot of people underestimate the complexity of swimming. I’ve told people that if I was to start swimming again, it would take me three years to get back to where I was. I’m planning on it not taking that long; I’m trying to fast track that now.”
The next stop for Thorpe is Beijing on Wednesday for the Chinese leg of the World Cup before he flies on to Tokyo.
