Thorpe makes his return

Ian Thorpe, the NSW Institute of Sport’s most successful Olympian, today announced that he will make a return to competitive swimming with the aim to compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Thorpe, an NSWIS scholarship holder from 1997 until his retirement in 2007, won five Olympic gold medals, 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals and 11 world championship gold medals before announcing his retirement in 2006.

Speaking at a press conference in Sydney, Thorpe said, "I’m back and I’m happy with what I’m doing. The thing that is driving me is performing again.

"I’ll be swimming for the 100m and 200m freestyle relay events, with a priority around the 100m."

Thorpe will be based in Abu Dhabi for the majority of his training, saying his first thought of returning to competitive swimming came while flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

"This hasn’t been a decision I’ve taken lightly, to return to competitive swimming. I’ve had an almost flawless career and I’m putting that at risk."

Despite retiring in 2006, Thorpe has remained an integral part of the Institute’s success, sponsoring the Ian Thorpe OAM Outstanding Achievement Award at the NSWIS Awards Dinner as well as being inducted into the NSWIS Most Outstanding for his personal contribution to swimming at the NSWIS.