Early end to Thorpe's comeback meet
Source: Agencies |
November 6, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AUSTRALIAN great Ian Thorpe was annoyed with himself after failure to qualify for the 100 meters butterfly finals at a FINA World Cup race yesterday brought a premature end to his first meet back following a five-year absence.
Thorpe, winner of five Olympic golds, finished third in his heat with a time of 54.09 seconds in Singapore to rank 11th overall and outside the top eight qualifiers for the finals.
"I came here expecting to get absolutely hammered in races and I knew it was going to happen and anyone who didn't think that was going to happen didn't have this in perspective," Thorpe told reporters.
"I was quite annoyed with myself this morning with my time and things like that. Racing for me is tough. It is really easy for me to train and do whatever I am asked. It is going to be about getting back in tune with competition and being able to do it well," he added.
Kenya's Jason Dunford was the fastest qualifier for the finals with a time of 51.50 seconds.
Thorpe was quick out of the blocks in lane six but lost ground in the second and third legs of the short-course race with Australian teammate Chris Wright winning the heat with a time of 52.09.
"I would have liked to have made the final in that one," Thorpe said. "I didn't go hard where I should have and fell into an awkward kind of technique."
It was the second day back in competition after coming out of retirement for Thorpe, who finished seventh in the final of the 100 individual medley on Friday.
Although the butterfly and IM are unfamiliar races for the lanky Sydney-born freestyle specialist, expectations are extremely high that the Australian can add to his huge medal haul at the London Olympics next year.
"Thorpedo", who will attempt to make the Australian Olympic team at the trials in Adelaide in March, races in Beijing on Tuesday and then Tokyo for two more World Cup meetings.
Thorpe, winner of five Olympic golds, finished third in his heat with a time of 54.09 seconds in Singapore to rank 11th overall and outside the top eight qualifiers for the finals.
"I came here expecting to get absolutely hammered in races and I knew it was going to happen and anyone who didn't think that was going to happen didn't have this in perspective," Thorpe told reporters.
"I was quite annoyed with myself this morning with my time and things like that. Racing for me is tough. It is really easy for me to train and do whatever I am asked. It is going to be about getting back in tune with competition and being able to do it well," he added.
Kenya's Jason Dunford was the fastest qualifier for the finals with a time of 51.50 seconds.
Thorpe was quick out of the blocks in lane six but lost ground in the second and third legs of the short-course race with Australian teammate Chris Wright winning the heat with a time of 52.09.
"I would have liked to have made the final in that one," Thorpe said. "I didn't go hard where I should have and fell into an awkward kind of technique."
It was the second day back in competition after coming out of retirement for Thorpe, who finished seventh in the final of the 100 individual medley on Friday.
Although the butterfly and IM are unfamiliar races for the lanky Sydney-born freestyle specialist, expectations are extremely high that the Australian can add to his huge medal haul at the London Olympics next year.
"Thorpedo", who will attempt to make the Australian Olympic team at the trials in Adelaide in March, races in Beijing on Tuesday and then Tokyo for two more World Cup meetings.
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