Swimming great Ian Thorpe predicts Beijing Olympics gold rush

IAN Thorpe believes Australia's swimmers can win as many medals at Beijing as they did in Athens, but has warned against expectations of a world-record blitz.

Australia's most successful Olympian says our swimmers will again prove a force in the water at the Beijing Games.

But the retired champion warned the morning finals format would make it hard for swimmers to record consistently fast times.

"It's going to have an effect, it's different to what people are used to," Thorpe said.

"Everyone's competing under the same rules, so it still will be fair, but I don't think it allows the absolute best performances to come out."

In Athens Australia won 15 swimming medals - seven gold, five silver and three bronze.

In Sydney in 2000 the team won five gold medals.

Thorpe, who won five gold medals, three silver and one bronze, said Australia had a team capable of matching previous efforts.

"I think we'll have results similar to Sydney and Athens. Those two Olympics have been our most successful, but it's going to be tough. Competition around the world is incredible at the moment," he said.

Thorpe is also confident there will be no drugs scandals in Beijing.

Last year, the French newspaper L'Equipe claimed Thorpe showed abnormal levels of two banned substances in a doping test.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority later confirmed it had investigated Thorpe and dismissed the result.

"It (a drug controversy) may happen, and it is something that does happen from time to time in sport, but we hope the Olympics is as clean as it can be and I think it will be," he said.

Beijing will be a different experience for Thorpe, who will be a Games spectator for the first time.

"It's probably my last opportunity to see my peers compete in the sport, given possible retirements, so I'm looking forward to that," he said.

"I'm going mostly as a spectator, but I've got a few commitments with various different sponsors.

"I've never been to an Olympics where I haven't competed so it'll be a new thing for me."

Thorpe took a year off after the 2004 Athens Olympics and then shocked the nation by announcing his retirement in November, 2006.

"It doesn't feel like it (the retirement announcement) was all that long ago," Thorpe, 25, said.

"I miss some things (about swimming), but not the whole lot. It's still recent enough that it's relatable and I know what they're all going through and how they feel.

"A lot of us have grown up together on the swim team so it's nice to see them. I kind of feel like I've moved on to other things and I'm happy."

Thorpe has kept busy since his retirement travelling the globe and continues to work with Foxtel. His latest project has involved hosting the two-hour special, The Spirit of Australian Sport - Swimming.

Thorpe is unsure what the future holds, but after having led such a regimented life he is revelling in his new-found freedom.

He is particularly keen to watch good mate Grant Hackett attempt to win a record third consecutive 1500m gold.

"I hope he does go out on a high," Thorpe said. "I think he can. I'd like to think that he will be able to.

"Half of the team that competes in Beijing will probably be half of the team in London and one of the things that we're very fortunate to have at the moment are some really good young swimmers which will be able to carry the team into London.

"I don't like to name names because I don't think it's fair, but there are many swimmers I'm looking forward to watching."
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