Ken Thorpe had dreams of his son Ian treading in his first grade cricket footsteps. Ken, who played for Bankstown in the Sydney competition with fiery Test speedsters Jeff Thomson and Lenny Pascoe, was a middle order batsman who took a ton of shifting, his defence was so tight.
I played against him for years.
He was known as a “nurdler”, hardly knocking the ball off the square. When the scoreboard showed he had 40 runs against his name, you wondered how he got there.
He was a prize scalp.
Ian was six when Ken took him to renowned cricket coach David Hourne, better known as “Cracker”.
It took just seconds to “Cracker’s” discerning eye that Ian had precious little ball sense, and wasn’t well co-ordinated: two vital necessities to make it in cricket.
Wondering how he was going to break the bad news to his cricket-mad Dad, “Cracker” asked if Ian played any other sports.
“Oh, he’s showing some interest in swimming,” was Ken’s reply.
Quick as a flash “Cracker” suggested to Ken it would be a good idea to foster that interest.
Fostering a swimming interest in Ian Thorpe had to be the understatement of a lifetime.
The rest, as we all know, is history:
Thorpe announced his shock retirement five years ago after:
* Breaking 18 individual long course world records, and sharing in five relay world records.
* Winning 11 world championship gold medals – the youngest at 14 to qualify, and the first to capture six golds at the same meet.
* Winning 10 Commonwealth Games golds.
* Winning five Olympic golds, the most by an Australian, ahead of Dawn Fraser and Murray Rose, sharing four.
* And the first to be named world swimmer of the year four times.
During that stellar career, Thorpe came out with this classic quote:
“My Mum was a netballer who could swim – just. My Dad can hardly swim at all. Genetically, I don’t think I should be in the pool.
“It was planned that I should be a cricketer, but I didn’t take to the cricket pitch too well”.
What was cricket’s loss was swimming’s gain until high noon on Tuesday, November 21 2006, at the Wentworth Hotel.
I was there in a media maul like none other. We were packed into the press conference like sardines.
When Thorpe dropped his retirement bombshell, you could have cut the air with a knife. Among the odd gasps of disbelief, there was an eerie silence.
The “Thorpedoe” had hung up his togs.
His parting words: “I don’t see myself competing again. I never rule anything out, but it just won’t happen”.
Not so.
Five years later, tomorrow in fact, Ian Thorpe resumes his career in Singapore in the first of three low-key world cup meets including Beijing, and Tokyo.
Thorpe is idolised in all three cities, so the fans will be turning out in droves to renew their faith, and support.
Freestyle, Thorpe’s forte, is not on the menu tomorrow, just the individual medley, and butterfly.
The chances?
He’s looking super fit, having stripped off 10kgs in the last year. He’s even 4kgs lighter than when he last competed.
But six years away from the pool poses real questions.
The 29-year-old Ian Thorpe cannot possibly be as explosive as he was when he was 23.
But he’s not making a comeback for the hell of it. He’s deadly serious even though yesterday’s quote from Singapore had a worrying element.
“Expect little and be happily surprised. All else fails, it will be a good laugh for everyone”.
That’s so wrong Ian. Only the churlish would stoop so low. And there will be some, that’s human nature.
The vast majority of the sporting world want him to succeed, or at least be competitive, on a vastly different world stage compared to what he remembers.
London 2012 is the ultimate aim.
Tomorrow is just a small piece in the jig-saw puzzle Ian Thorpe has set himself.
Tomorrow’s IM and fly won’t prove anything. The freestyle in Tokyo will be a better litmus test to get those shoe-size 17 feet turning the pool into a washing machine.
But he’s back, and that’s given swimming a huge lift in Australia, where it’s been treading water.
So no baggy green for Ian Thorpe. But he’ll settle for some pool medals sooner than later.
Then London.
Republican
Guest
I have heard form Japanese students here in Australia first hand, as well as from family who have spent time in Japan. Of course I have also read this in the Oz media.
peeeko
Roar Guru
have you spent time in Japan or just read the Australian media?
Republican
Guest
He is idolised in Japan.
JohnBGoodington
Guest
Look at the efforts of Torres in womens swimming...at least Thorpey hasn't had kids and is younger than 40! I think athletes like her would be serving as inspiration for Thorpey. Pretty harsh assessment of a 6 year old's ability...accurate perhaps...but at Thropey's eventual height and strength, he might have been able to bowl ok...
peeeko
Roar Guru
Good luck Thoredo, but it is an Aussie myth that he is idolized in Asia
peeeko
Roar Guru
Good luck Thoredo, but it is an Aussie myth that he is idolized in Asia
Happy Hooker
Guest
He could bowl all right, don't you worry - quite economical for a chinaman bowler. But he had to be hidden in the field. Blind as a bat and bung knees. Kerry O'Keeffe tells a good story about Cracker. During a Shield match at the SCG, an opposing batsman has played a cut shot, and Gary Gilmour immediately yells out "Catch it Cracker". David Hourn up at mid on is running around in circles looking skyward, hands ready, trying to find the ball as it crashes into the fence in front of the Ladies Stand.
Brendon
Guest
Hard to be top in 100, 200 and 400. Thorpe's main focus in 2004 was the "race of the century" 200m free but he also won the 400m free so he had to be in 400 condition as well which means he wasnt going to have the pace for the 100. Dont think Thorpe will be much of a factor in the 100 and 200 free individual events -its unlikely he'll even qualify for the 100 - but he could be a big bonus for the relays. Dont know why Thorpe quit. He could have been the first male, and only the 3rd ever, swimmer to win the same event at 3 successful Olympics (400m free). Now Phelps will take that honour in one of the four events he qualified to do so (100, 200 fly and 200 and 400 IM's). Call me cynical but I think but Thorpe's comeback has more to do with $$ than swimming. If he was 100% serious about a comeback why didn't he focus on his best event the 400m free?
Sean
Guest
David Hourn First class record - 164 wickets @ 28.71 BB 9/77. Sounds like he was reasonably co-ordinated!
jameswm
Guest
I just can't believe that Thorpe will compete unless he's in good shape. The IM and fly might be to dust off some competitive cobwebs, but the free will be what he's been training for. I think he's had enough time - he'd need about 18 months. I don't see how he'll be top in 100 though, as he was never quick enough. Maybe his speed's improved, and he can be a 2nd lap swimmer like Magnussen. I do hope he can make it back.
Happy Hooker
Guest
"precious little ball sense, and wasn’t well co-ordinated". Cracker could well have been describing himself! And that would David Hourn (no 'e' on the end). When it didn't look right, I googled his name to check the correct spelling. Why couldn't you do that David?
Australian Rules
Guest
The return of a champion is always tantalising...because we hope so much that they can regain their former glory and fear so much that they won't. Sport has far more unsuccessful comebacks than successful ones. Even the peerless Michael Jordan, after the perfect comeback which netted another triple Championship run, risked his supreme legacy again with a wishful and wasteful comeback with the Washington Wizards. But former champions can hide a bit in a team sport - individual sports lay bare the frailties of slightly older, slightly slower former champions. Boxing has more tragic comebacks than any other sport for this reason - the tale of the Champ returning can look pitiful and sad when he gets walloped by a younger, hungrier fighter (see Ali, Tyson, Holyfield et al). In a way, swimming is the same. It's a solitary sport...both in training and in competition (save for the novelty of relays). Thorpe is the greatest freestyle swimmer in history. Phelps is the better all-round swimmer, but Thorpe freestyle stroke was perfect. You only need to look at race footage of swimmers in the next lanes desperately thrashing about while Thorpie calmly and assuredly pulled away with a much slower stroke rate, helped by the bow wave of his flawless kick. I really really hope he makes it.
Al from ctown
Guest
Here's hoping Ian can still cut it with the rest... Be a real shame to see such a freak in the pool come back just to flop... A champion should always go out as just that... A champion. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Republican
Guest
Yes indeed, Swimming, which is arguably our national sport, is looking a tad vulnerable. I reckon this is born out by the need for Swimming Australia to promote all these oldies who are making comebacks. This is indicative of how the sport is traveling at the grass roots in this country in my opinion. Swimming may well follow the fate of Tennis in Australia, both sports sustaining a participation rate above all others however there are simply too many competing sports these days to guarantee success at the elite level. I believe these newer adrenalin brands if you like, i.e. Triath and variations of, have hurt Swimming and male swimmers in particular, which are very hard to find and keep in the sport are now as rare as hens teeth - except in China i.e. Hving said that, I don't think Thorpe will make any impression on our Olympic squad - he left his run far too late.