Fears are emerging that a sojourn in California may be very costly for our star swimmer, writes Jessica Halloran.
The training pool is only half an hour from Thorpe’s Hollywood home but the swimmer has only been seen in it a handful of times by the Herald since he arrived in California in June.
Thorpe has been mixing it with the stars since he moved to Los Angeles, reportedly to escape the spotlight in Australia. It was thought he would be more anonymous in Los Angeles and he might be able to reignite the hunger for the pool. Some are starting to think he may be starting to run out of time for the world titles in March.
“There’s no doubt if Ian wants to come back and swim fast and be as competitive as he was before, he can,” fellow swimmer Grant Hackett has said.
“But it’s just a matter of whether he’s motivated and enthusiastic about swimming. I’m sure he can, and I certainly think he’s putting things in place to make sure that he can do that.”
A broken hand sustained after an accident at home in April hasn’t helped, along with his earlier bronchitis. But as Thorpe, 23, soaks up the LA lifestyle, his competitors are soaking in chlorine.
Pieter van den Hoogenband, who enjoyed a long stretch out of the pool recently, returned to competition last week. Michael Phelps is tearing up the water and eyeing Thorpe’s world record in the 200m freestyle.
It was last Easter that Thorpe sat down with his coach, Tracey Menzies, and announced he wanted to go to LA. Weeks later, he put down $1.17 million for a two-bedroom house in the Hollywood Hills.
Did Menzies approve of the move? “If that meant that was going to hold him and make him motivated and keen to stay and train and do those things, I’d support it,” Menzies said. “It’s just something for Ian to grow as an athlete. He wanted just a bit of change as far as his training and as far as his situation, as far as living as well, just to grow as a person.”
But is he putting in 100 per cent at the moment? It may be hard to say from her Sutherland Shire base, admitted Menzies.
“I’m hoping that’s what’s happening,” Menzies said, with a laugh. “He is, he is. Well, I’m hoping that’s what’s happening over there. I’m sure he will.
“As long as I’m keeping in contact, and his coach works in a similar fashion to the way I work, I’m sure things will be [positive].”
Clark Perry, a sports psychologist who’s known Thorpe since he was 14, said it was not surprising that the swimmer had decided to relocate. It would be the best way to reinvigorate a young man with so much talent and it must be remembered he is only 23. “He’s a baby,” Perry said. “I wouldn’t say he’s like any other 23-year-old. It’s just a life decision on where he wants to be. If this was some guy by the name of Tom Smith who decided to move to southern California to pursue a career in computer sciences, would any of us care?
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