Other Sport
Thorpe: Don't expect too much
2011-11-02 07:54
Singapore - Five-time Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe on Wednesday warned his fans not to expect too much of his return to the sport in Singapore this weekend after a five-year break.
The 29-year-old Australian, nicknamed Thorpedo, in February said he would be returning to the pool to prepare for next year's London Olympics.
"Just don't expect too much from me right now and don't judge too quickly," Thorpe said in an interview with Australia's Herald Sun newspaper from Singapore, where he was to take part in the short course World Cup.
"London is my ultimate goal, and win or lose here in Singapore, nothing changes long term," the paper quoted him as saying.
Thorpe said he was well prepared, but nervous going into the 100m butterfly and individual medley events.
"I'm coming off a pretty heavy training programme," Thorpe told the newspaper.
"My body feels good and it's slowly dawning on me, I'm about to race again," he said ahead of his starts on Friday and Saturday.
But Thorpe admitted that at the same time he felt nervous "because I just don't know what to expect."
He also plans to compete at the World Cup in Beijing next week and in Tokyo a few days later.