Ian Thorpe: The Swimmer Page #5

because I can watch the video

and see myself breathing,

but I feel like I'm not breathing.

Take your mark.

For me, that's... I feel like

I'm in the surf getting...

Smacked.

..smashed around.

This is how I feel in the water.

And then... then rational thought

comes into my head.

This is why it's about 30 seconds,

that,

'Well, you've made it 30 seconds and

you're not dead,

you haven't drowned.'

And so then, I'm like,

'Oh, so I can breathe,'

but then I'm behind

and I'm copping everyone's wash

and then I've actually got

a physical reason

for why I can't breathe,

is because

I'm getting water from everywhere.

For him, he's just gotta

back himself in.

You know, historically,

he's been able to do

virtually whatever he's wanted to,

in swimming terms,

and I would think,

um, he'll, uh...

He'll go back to that and,

you know, that's what he's got.

That's his background.

Better start.

Uh, there were

two different parts.

The second start's better,

but the breakout's better

on the first one.

So your hands

are just a little bit...

They're there,

but they're just a bit loose,

so it's really just...

Yeah, you've got an angle there.

Since being back in Australia,

I went and had

every kind of test done,

to make sure

it wasn't something physical,

'cause I thought it may have been,

you know,

something wrong with my chest.

Like, that's how it feels.

Gennadi doesn't understand it,

so my coach doesn't understand

why I wouldn't be able to...

Breathe.

..because he's, you know,

'You're a champion.

What... I don't understand.'

He doesn't understand.

Same position compared to..

That 'up'...

And then, if you up,

you look forward and down and...

Did you want to

have a go at four?

No, let's stick it on five

for now.

Let's get the dive part right,

and then we'll play around

with that.

- I've spoken to a psychologist.

- Yeah?

Um, I think...

..it's a fear of...

..reverting back to the swimmer that

I used to be.

Um, of getting this all right

and ending up being

really successful at swimming

and being miserable in my sport.

I'm scared of going back to that and

I don't want to.

Thank you for this food and

thank you in Jesus's name. Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Shh.

Mum can swim, but Dad can't.

When we were kids,

we were floating

thinking that he was swimming.

Dad shows us how to

get under the waves

and, like, bodysurf

and all of these things.

But we were learning, thinking he was

swimming, and he's standing,

because we can't touch the bottom.

Yeah, and so we never knew

that he couldn't swim.

When you're frightened of water,

it takes a lot of convincing to be

comfortable with it.

But they used to

wake us at 4:
30.

You woke us,

because we used to say,

if they wanted to go swimming, they

had to wake us.

Yeah.

We weren't waking them

to go swimming,

so they had the alarm

and they'd come in and say...

You'd hear the alarm go, and they

would be the ones that got it.

And then Christina got so annoyed,

'cause I kept on putting my alarm,

like, further and further forward

before hers, 'cause she wanted

to sit in the front seat.

And it became ridiculous

how early we started getting up.

Yes...

But I'd sit in the front seat

for five minutes like this,

just cruising.

Anyway...

Billing, that was the pool.

And now it's here.

I know. It's bizarre.

Isn't that bizarre?

It's flown.

It literally has flown.

And, yeah, it's kind of...

It's do-or-die time.

And here we are.

That's 18 months.

Yeah, which is an incredible short

amount of time,

but you've done it.

Yeah. I haven't done it yet.

Ahead of the Olympic

selection trials in Adelaide,

the Daily Telegraph is wondering if

Thorpey has been foxing

during his preparations

for his comeback.

I just don't think

someone of his calibre would.

He knows what he's capable of.

Yep.

He's spent his whole career dealing

with expectations,

both his own and the country's.

I reckon he knows

what he's doing.

I'm getting excited.

One of the great comebacks

if he is.

It would be one of the great sport

stories of all time.

Let's hope he is.

So do you think

Thorpey is foxing?

As he said... as

he said in the press conference,

he feels like a poker player

and if he was foxing, he'd

be a pretty good poker player.

But, um, I don't...

It's not really in the making

of the swimmer to be foxing

and to lie to the media.

You kind of want to go out there and

test yourself

against the clock

at any opportunity you have.

It's flattering. It's so not true.

I wish it was true.

Everyone thinks

I'm better than I am.

I'm not competitive either.

No, you're pretty competitive.

I don't think I am.

Yes, you are.

No, I'm not.

I don't think

I'm that competitive.

So are you gonna shave down?

Oh, sh*t.

What?

I forgot about that.

You know, the artistic element of

swimming is more appealing to me

than, you know,

just that very physical side.

And, you know, it's the same as

a few other sports

that it... it...

..is kind of an expression

of what your body can do.

I received this one yesterday

that is so defining and so moving

and I'd really love for him

to have this in his hands...

OK.

..before he races tomorrow.

It's from Eileen,

a lady up in Tennant Creek,

an Indigenous leader up

in Tennant Creek.

'Dear Little Brother,

my success drives me,

my failure strengthens me.

They were saying that

there is times

when you have plenty

no-good talk coming

and your heart gets heavy

and your feet get heavy.

So let your failures strengthen you,

embrace them,

keep them close to you, because you

will be stronger for them.

Be strong and only listen inside.

Eileen.

Pretty special, huh?

It's very special.

Massive crowd on hand

here, as you would expect,

and so many of them

have come to see Ian Thorpe.

He's a five-time Olympic

gold medallist.

Just over a year ago,

Thorpey said he was coming back to

the sport.

Since then, mind you,

it's been busy.

There's been rumour, there's

been innuendo, speculation.

'Is he going fast?' 'Is he

going slow?' 'Is he foxing?'

Well, we are about to find out.

And they're away.

Ian Thorpe in lane 7

in this heat.

Goes down to second lap,

he is in front.

This is a great sign.

25.15 at the first 50-metre mark.

Ian Thorpe is in front and he's in

front by a good body length,

which is exactly what

he is after.

Here comes Napoleon.

Napoleon and McKeon.

Both throwing out the challenge,

particularly Ryan Napoleon.

But Thorpe's still in front.

Remember, it's all about times

at this stage.

He's backed off.

So Thorpe has eased off.

And it is a great time.

He's finished third.

And that time, Nicole,

will be good enough

to get him into the semifinal.

..in particular,

over the first 100 metres.

It's the first time

he's gone under 1.50

since beginning this comeback.

A lot of people are saying

the swimmers

that are making the comebacks,

they're having trouble

with their evening swim after...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes