Let’s face it, Ian Thorpe’s comeback will be a lot tougher than Shane Warne’s. Last night in Singapore, Thorpe blew away some of the six years of non-competitive cobwebs in the final of the 100m individual medley.
The swim wasn’t flash, but the IM isn’t Thorpe’s forte either.
He finished a distant seventh, 3.27 seconds adrift of South African Chad Le Clos’ 53.06.
To put that time in perspective, American superfish Michael Phelps clocked 51.65 in Berlin last week, while the world record of 50.76 was set by Slovenian Peter Mankoc in 2009.
There are two more low-key world cup meets in Beijing and Tokyo where more cobwebs will be blown away.
But at least Singapore was a start for the 29-year-old Thorpe, nine months after he announced a comeback, with nine months to go to his ultimate target – London 2012.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne Stars are trumpeting Warne’s comeback to Australian cricket with the inaugural Big Bash League. But has Warne ever really retired?
His last Test match was the SCG in January 2007, his last ODI at the MCG in January 2005, his last county cricket appearance for Hampshire was in September 2007, but he’s been skippering the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL since inception.
At 42, Warne’s arguably fitter than he’s ever been, and there’s no argument he’s still a genius with the ball in his hand.
And he’d be the first to admit the nets are a far more appealing than following the black line at the bottom of the pool for hours on end training like Thorpe.
That would bore Warne to death, as it would most sportsmen. Making swimmers a special breed, with Ian Thorpe among the very best.
He’ll be 30 just after the London Olympics in July-August, well short of gold medalists – freestyler Jason Lezak who will be 35, and breaststroker Ed Moses, who will be 32 – the two oldest men in American Olympics swimming history.
While Warne at 42 could well feel like a spring chick compared to some cricketers who were still playing Tests like Englishman Wilfred Rhodes who retired as the oldest at 52 years and 165 days in 1930, Australian Bert Ironmonger 50 years 327 days in 1933, the infamous Englishman WG Grace 50-320 in 1899, and Jack Hobbs who was 47 and 249 days in 1930.
Maybe Ian Thorpe and Shane Warne can also draw on the incredible longevity of Australian Ken Rosewall, and American Kelly Slater.
* Rosewall won his first Australian Slam title at 19, and his fourth at 38.
* Won his first French at 19, and his second at 34.
* Reached his first Wimbledon final at 20, and his fourth at 40.
* And won his first US at 22, and his second at 36.
Or Slater, who has just clinched his 11th world surfing title at 39 and 255 days.
In his spare time he plays golf off a 3 handicap, and strums a mean guitar.
But by taming the big waves around the world, Slater became the youngest at 20 to be world champion, and now nearly 40, the oldest.
“And I fully intend to be a contender when I’m 50,” was Slater’s prediction.
The moral of this story, don’t ever underestimate the seniors in any sport.
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