I am SO excited. Only two more days. I've never seen him swim in person.
Gonna have the digital video camera fired up and stocked with tapes.
Anyone
who lives in So Cal and misses this opportunity is truly nutso. Ian's
comin'
to town!



From the Long Beach Press-Telegram:



Long Beach is 'Thorpedo' alley this week

Aussie star heads the Janet Evans Invitational.

By Joe Stevens
Staff writer

Eureka!

So this is why all of this "Thorpedo' stuff is attracting so much
attention.

Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe and five of his teammates took another step
toward the Janet Evans Invitational when they charmed media members at a
news
conference on Tuesday. The scope of the Janet Evans Invitational, which
starts
Thursday, will include 20 countries and more than 1,000 elite swimmers
from
around the globe.

But even with all of the top athletes competing in the first event of the
2004
Long Beach Aquatics Grand Prix, it became obvious why the polished, smooth
and
charismatic Thorpe was not only the centerpiece of the news conference,
but the
event as well.

The 21-year-old Thorpe answered an array of questions that could help
those not
knowledgeable of swimming understand his place in the sport. In Australia,
he
has the celebrity power of David Beckham or Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan.

Thorpe won three gold medals and two silvers at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
He
draws so much attention in his homeland that when he was disqualified in
the
400-meter freestyle in the Australian national trials and later given back
a
spot in the event, it was one of the country's biggest news stories.

"When it happened, I was trying to scroll around TV channels not to see
it,
because I don't like watching myself on TV,' Thorpe said. "I saw
something, and
our prime minister was on TV. He was speaking, so I thought, 'Oh, I can
watch
this.' But he, too, was talking about it.'

Even though the glamorous Thorpe will bring a heap of interest, the 11th
annual
Janet Evans Invitational isn't all about him. This will be the first, and
only,
time that swimmers can test the new pools adjacent to the Long Beach Arena
before the U.S. Olympic Trials of Swimming, July7-14.

In past years, the event was held at USC. This year, it was moved to Long
Beach
to be a part of the Aquatics Grand Prix, which also includes national
men's and
women's water polo events. To accommodate the competitions, two 50-meter
Olympic-size pools were constructed above ground.

With the Janet Evans Invitational leading into the trials and then the
trials
leading into the Olympics, a feeling of anticipation is among the Olympic
hopefuls. When the event starts on Thursday, that should quench some of
the
swimmers' competitive thirst.

Until then, anticipation will remain, and it is no secret that the Janet
Evans
meet is a prelude to the Olympic Trials.

"I wouldn't read too much into it if the results are much slower or faster
than
expected,' said Petria Thomas, who won two silver medals and a bronze in
the
Sydney Olympics. "I'm not one to swim my personal best in the middle of
the
season.'

Members of Australia's swim team and Janet Evans gushed about how
impressive
the pools, constructed by Italy-based Martha Pools, are.

"The pools look great, and I can't wait to test the waters,' said Justin
Norris, a butterfly specialist for Australia.

Evans underscored how high the talent level will be.

"Outside of the Athens Games, there is no other place to see world-class
swimming than here in Long Beach,' she said.

There also is no other place to see the high-profile Thorpe, who is not
only
the talk among his countrymen, but his teammates.

"He's always had great poise, even as a 15-year-old,' said Michael Klim,
who
will be competing in relays and is Thorpe's former roommate. "He was
always in
control of everything, and I wonder where he got that. It's not like
you're
taught that it school. It's part of his character.'

All swimming eyes look to be on Thorpe, but he is used to that.

"I don't feel pressure,' Thorpe said. "I never feel pressure. I feel
expectations.'

Hmm - they don't seem to know who Justin Norris is. He's not just a
butterfly specialist, although he did medal at the last Olympics in the
200 fly. He also swims breaststroke and individual medley at a medallist
level.

Larry, watch how balanced Thorpe's stroke is - he's absolutely amazing to
watch in person.

Is Klim swimming at the meet? I'd be interested to know whether he's
continuing to improve in his comeback after injury.

I am SO excited. Only two more days. I've never seen him swim in person.
Gonna have the digital video camera fired up and stocked with tapes. Anyone
who lives in So Cal and misses this opportunity is truly nutso. Ian's comin'
to town!



From the Long Beach Press-Telegram:



Long Beach is 'Thorpedo' alley this week

Aussie star heads the Janet Evans Invitational.

By Joe Stevens
Staff writer

Eureka!

So this is why all of this "Thorpedo' stuff is attracting so much attention.

Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe and five of his teammates took another step
toward the Janet Evans Invitational when they charmed media members at a news
conference on Tuesday. The scope of the Janet Evans Invitational, which starts
Thursday, will include 20 countries and more than 1,000 elite swimmers from
around the globe.

But even with all of the top athletes competing in the first event of the 2004
Long Beach Aquatics Grand Prix, it became obvious why the polished, smooth and
charismatic Thorpe was not only the centerpiece of the news conference, but the
event as well.

The 21-year-old Thorpe answered an array of questions that could help those not
knowledgeable of swimming understand his place in the sport. In Australia, he
has the celebrity power of David Beckham or Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan.

Thorpe won three gold medals and two silvers at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He
draws so much attention in his homeland that when he was disqualified in the
400-meter freestyle in the Australian national trials and later given back a
spot in the event, it was one of the country's biggest news stories.

"When it happened, I was trying to scroll around TV channels not to see it,
because I don't like watching myself on TV,' Thorpe said. "I saw something, and
our prime minister was on TV. He was speaking, so I thought, 'Oh, I can watch
this.' But he, too, was talking about it.'

Even though the glamorous Thorpe will bring a heap of interest, the 11th annual
Janet Evans Invitational isn't all about him. This will be the first, and only,
time that swimmers can test the new pools adjacent to the Long Beach Arena
before the U.S. Olympic Trials of Swimming, July7-14.

In past years, the event was held at USC. This year, it was moved to Long Beach
to be a part of the Aquatics Grand Prix, which also includes national men's and
women's water polo events. To accommodate the competitions, two 50-meter
Olympic-size pools were constructed above ground.

With the Janet Evans Invitational leading into the trials and then the trials
leading into the Olympics, a feeling of anticipation is among the Olympic
hopefuls. When the event starts on Thursday, that should quench some of the
swimmers' competitive thirst.

Until then, anticipation will remain, and it is no secret that the Janet Evans
meet is a prelude to the Olympic Trials.

"I wouldn't read too much into it if the results are much slower or faster than
expected,' said Petria Thomas, who won two silver medals and a bronze in the
Sydney Olympics. "I'm not one to swim my personal best in the middle of the
season.'

Members of Australia's swim team and Janet Evans gushed about how impressive
the pools, constructed by Italy-based Martha Pools, are.

"The pools look great, and I can't wait to test the waters,' said Justin
Norris, a butterfly specialist for Australia.

Evans underscored how high the talent level will be.

"Outside of the Athens Games, there is no other place to see world-class
swimming than here in Long Beach,' she said.

There also is no other place to see the high-profile Thorpe, who is not only
the talk among his countrymen, but his teammates.

"He's always had great poise, even as a 15-year-old,' said Michael Klim, who
will be competing in relays and is Thorpe's former roommate. "He was always in
control of everything, and I wonder where he got that. It's not like you're
taught that it school. It's part of his character.'

All swimming eyes look to be on Thorpe, but he is used to that.

"I don't feel pressure,' Thorpe said. "I never feel pressure. I feel
expectations.'

BTW, they are not to have the 10 miles swim this year at the Seal
Beach. Only 1 and 3 miles. The date is July 17.

BTW, they are not to have the 10 miles swim this year at the Seal
Beach. Only 1 and 3 miles. The date is July 17.

Thanks, Hugo. Hope I see you there, if not at the meet tomorrow (I'll be
wearing a blue blazer with a yellow carnation and a white straw
boater-style hat and carrying an umbrella and leading around a Great Dane
on a leash on the pool-deck; so I may be difficult to find, blending in
with everyone else).

Thanks, Hugo. Hope I see you there, if not at the meet tomorrow (I'll be
wearing a blue blazer with a yellow carnation and a white straw
boater-style
hat and carrying an umbrella and leading around a Great Dane on a leash on
the
pool-deck; so I may be difficult to find, blending in with everyone else).

BTW, they are not to have the 10 miles swim this year at the Seal
Beach. Only 1 and 3 miles. The date is July 17.

Thanks, Hugo. Hope I see you there, if not at the meet tomorrow (I'll be
wearing a blue blazer with a yellow carnation and a white straw boater-style
hat and carrying an umbrella and leading around a Great Dane on a leash on the
pool-deck; so I may be difficult to find, blending in with everyone else).