Grant Hackett believes attitude rather than illness and injury is the only hurdle preventing five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe from recapturing his best.
Thorpe has not swum at a major international meet since the Athens Olympics and, after taking 2005 off, had his Commonwealth Games dreams shattered by illness.
However, Hackett has backed Thorpe to regain his best, but on a proviso.
“There’s no doubt if Ian wants to come back and swim fast and be as competitive as he was before, he can,” Hackett told ABC Sport.
“But it’s just a matter of whether he’s motivated and enthusiastic about swimming, but I’m sure he can and I certainly think he’s putting things in place to make sure that he can do that.”
Hackett, on the comeback trail from shoulder surgery, swam the fastest time for the 800m freestyle this year last weekend.
“I wasn’t shaved down or rested or anything like that for that competition so to be swimming that well at this stage it’s really encouraging,” he said.
“It gives me a lot of confidence for the next few months in the lead-up to the world championships.”
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