Back on the blocks: Thorpe
The news that former world and Olympic champion Ian Thorpe is to return to competitive swimming has failed to halt protests spreading across the Middle East.
At a packed press conference in Sydney, the man described by former coach Don Talbot as ‘the greatest swimmer the world has seen’ confirmed that he was back in the pool, had resumed training and had registered with Swimming Australia’s drug testing regime.
The Thorpedo will be putting on his adidases once again in an attempt to qualify for the London Olympics in 2012, hoping to add to his haul of five Olympic gold medals and 13 world records.
‘I didn’t get back into the pool to get fit, I got back into it for no other reason than to get back to the stage where I could compete at an elite level.’ said the 28 year-old. ‘It was on my bucket list to swim another Olympics before I was 30, along with playing James Bond, starting a rock band, being a pilot.’ he added, presumably joking about the last part.
However, news of the announcement failed to quell the widespread anger of protesters who have recently begun demonstrations across Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Tunisia.
The Wobbly Block’s Middle East correspondent on the ground in Cairo reported that, although he did not speak Egyptian, he was able to establish through the universal language of interpretive dance that the protesters were saying they ‘wanted guarantees that Thorpe would be taking on Michael Phelps in the 200m free’.
Many in the crowd also reportedly raised concerns that the 14 months until the Australian Olympic trials may not be enough time for Thorpe to get back to his best.
