Swimming: Retired Aussie star Ian Thorpe resumes training

Times wires
Saturday, January 8, 2011

Swimming

Retired aussie star training; eyeing olympics?

BRISBANE, Australia — Australian Ian Thorpe, who retired in 2006 after winning five Olympic gold medals and setting 13 world records, is back training and hasn't ruled out competing at the London 2012 Olympics.

Dave Flaskas, Thorpe's manager, said while "it's a long way from here to London," Thorpe is enjoying swimming again and "never say never."

"We'll see where it goes," Flaskas said. "He's working out on his own. His shoulder problems (a broken shoulder blade) seem to be gone, but he's still a long way from competitive training."

Flaskas said to be eligible for the Olympics, Thorpe, 28, must begin drug testing in the next 6-8 weeks to make him eligible a year out from the Australian trials.

"I never really stopped swimming," Thorpe said. "I'm just doing more of it now, and I'm really enjoying getting into shape."

Tennis

Federer cruises to Qatar Open title

Roger Federer, No. 2 in the world, beat No. 22 Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4 to win the Qatar Open in Doha. Federer, who did not lose a set, became the event's first three-time winner after titles in 2005 and 2006. Davydenko, who beat No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, sought to be the first to beat Nadal and Federer in the same tournament three times. He did it in Doha a year ago and at the 2009 ATP Finals.

Hong Kong Classic: Vera Zvonareva, ranked No. 2, beat No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki 6-1, 6-0 in the final. Earlier in the exhibition tournament, Zvonareva beat No. 5 Venus Williams in straight sets.

Et cetera

Soccer: Host Stevenage, a team in England's fourth division, beat Newcastle of the first-division Premier League 3-1 in Round 3 of the FA Cup, a competition that includes every English team. Three other Premier League teams lost to lower-division teams. Host Sunderland lost 2-1 to third-division Notts County. Visiting Blackpool lost 2-0 to third-division Southampton. And visiting West Bromwich lost 1-0 to second-division Reading.

Horses: See I A overtook Gary D in the final furlong to win the $60,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar. Trained by Jamie Ness, See I A finished 6 furlongs in 1 minute, 10.18 seconds for his fifth consecutive win.

Greyhounds: Flying Coal City of McAllister kennel won his fifth career stakes, holding off Tmc's Pistol to win the $8,000 Inaugural at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg. He ran 550 yards in 30.45 seconds. Sovereign Gold was third and Rk's Big Bear fourth.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/swimming-retired-aussie-star-ian-thorpe-resumes-training/1144475

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