Thorpe Chooses Promotional Event Over Return to Formal Training

SYDNEY, December 27. IAN Thorpe, Australian mega-star freestyler, will not resume formal training until next month, according to a recent report by Nicole Jeffery down under in The Australian.

Jeffery speculates this decision brings a further cloud on the likelihood of his participation at the World Championships scheduled for Montreal this coming July. Thorpe has left the question open, to this point, while making clear he wants to pursue a preparation that will have him at his best in Beijing in 2008.

He was due to return seriously to the pool this week but has opted to spend New Year in New York, at the invitation of the New York 2012 Olympic bid committee.

Jeffery reported Thorpe’s coach, Tracey Menzies, said Ian would return to full training next month. But Menzies is not worried the tardy return presents a danger to her swimmer. The coach commented that when Thorpe came in to the Sutherland pool in Sydney for a series of light training sessions this last week he was in better shape than anticipated.

–Duncan Scott

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