Sports/Olympics / Other Sports

Swimming-Thorpe lays low in America while world waits
(AP)
Updated: 2006-08-18 09:45

VICTORIA, British Columbia _ The swimming world's superstars are all in the pool this week, trying to make an early splash for the Beijing Olympics.

All except, perhaps, the biggest name _ Ian Thorpe, who's been hanging out in Hollywood and enjoying the spoils of his success.

Word is the Australian has moved to Los Angeles, where he's reportedly living in a million-dollar house with treetop views near the Sunset Strip, and relaxing with fellow Aussies, like actor Heath Ledger.

There are reports of weekly poker games and, oh yeah, Thorpe shows up at the University of Southern California's pool once in a while.

It's a good life for someone who can't walk the streets of his home country or Japan without being besieged. But it's scheduled to end in September, when he plans to head back to Australia.

"Part of the reason why Ian went there was to try and look for new inspiration and new enthusiasm," Australian head coach Alan Thompson said this week at the Pan Pacific Championships.

"When you've achieved all the goals Ian has set for himself then you need that motivation."

The five-time Olympic gold medalist has not raced internationally since the 2004 Athens Olympics. He took a six-month break from swimming, then raced at two meets in Australia last winter.

Illness and injury, namely a broken bone in a hand earlier this year, have hindered him. He twice postponed his return to the pool, then temporarily relocated to Los Angeles.

The setbacks and skipped meets have fueled rumors in the tightly knit world swimming community that Thorpe might not return or will never regain his championship form.

"I'm not concerned," said Thompson, who plans to visit Thorpe next week during a stopover en route home. "I hear from him and his manager and (University of Southern California coach) Dave Salo. Everything is going pretty well."

A posting on Thorpe's Web site says it has been temporarily closed, however, it promises "some exciting news shortly."

The swimming world awaits, especially American Phelps, Thorpe's chief rival in the 200-meter freestyle.

"I'd love to be able to get back to a race like Athens, where we're both physically at our best and we're able to go at it," said Phelps, who earned a bronze medal behind the victorious Thorpe in 2004. "It's more exciting that way for us and for the fans."

In Thorpe's absence, Phelps has made significant gains toward threatening the Aussie's world record in the 200 free. Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands, the 2004 silver medalist, is back racing, too.


Phelps said he was "a little bit" surprised about Thorpe's disappearance. The U.S. team trained at the University of Southern California pool one day last month. Phelps anticipated bumping into Thorpe, but the Aussie wasn't around.

"I have expected to see more of him and hear more of him, but he clearly knows what's best for him," Phelps said. "He could take a year off and still come back and do it."

Thompson said he expects Thorpe to return in time for Australia's national trials in December, the qualifying meet for next year's World Championships in Melbourne.
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