SYDNEY, Australia, April 19. THE diagnosis is in for Ian Thorpe, and glandular fever was the reason the Australian freestyle ace was forced to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games. That news was reported in an article by Amy Harris in the Herald Sun. The illness will likely be an ailment Thorpe will deal with throughout the remainder of his career.
After three weeks away from the pool, Thorpe returned to training this week and is expected to race during the Mare Nostrum Series in June. According to his coach, Tracey Menzies, Thorpe is feeling strong in regard to his mental state, but must gradually refuel from a physical standpoint. Thorpe last competed at the Aussie Championships in February.
"Definitely, as soon as the immune system becomes suppressed, there is the possibility of (glandular fever) coming back, so it's really hard," Menzies said in the newspaper article. "He just needs to get lots of rest.