Return of Ian Thorpe boosts Australia’s aim for a top-five finish at the 2012 London Olympics
With the comeback of Australian king, Ian Thorpe, Swimming Australia expects to achieve a top-five finish at the 2012 London Olympics. According to an analysis released by Australian Olympic Committee, Australia is likely to drop down to the eighth spot
in the medal tally at the upcoming Olympic Games.
Based on the performance of Australian swimmers during 2010, the data was released earlier this year, which depicted that Australia will drop to the eighth position at the London Olympics.
The results were projected after the standings of Swimming Australia at the 2010 World Short Course Championships and other international swimming meets.
The analysis predicted Russia to top the medal tally with 97 medals at these Olympics, followed by USA and China with 94 and 93 medals, respectively. The fourth and fifth spot is likely to be secured by Great Britain and Germany,
who are expected to pocket 48 and 47 medals, respectively. Similarly, a close combat is expected between France and Japan, who are projected to settle seventh and eighth, by gaining 45 and 43 medals.
Australia, which used to be one of the world’s top swimming nations, gained only 46 medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where their swimming team contributed 20 medals. This contribution is now expected to fall to 14 medals at
the 2012 Olympics. The Australian swimmers failed to win any individual gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Chief Executive Officer to AOC, John Coates, expressed his firm belief that Australia will enter the circle of the top-five swimming nations at next year’s Olympics. AOC is very hopeful about the enhanced performance of their Australian
male swimmers, to ensure a top-five finish at the event.
Coates said that with the comeback of some Australian swimming stars, which includes Ian Thorpe, Libby Trickett, Geoff Huegill and Michael Klim, the strength of Swimming Australia is expected to augment.
He also stressed that the only way for Australia to secure a top-five finish is by winning more medals in the swimming pool. He also said that Klim and Huegill will have to work real hard to earn their tickets to London, whereas,
he addressed Thorpe as a light of the Australian swimming team.
Coates said that the Australian government has increased their funding and now more emphasis will be put on some key factors to shift up the performance graph of Australian athletes.
The CEO placed his firm belief in the successful return of Thorpe, as he won two gold medals in the 200m and 400m freestyle categories at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. He also captured the bronze of the 100m freestyle at the same
Olympics.
Thorpe’s successful comeback will not only strengthen the Australian swimming teams of the 4*100m freestyle relay and 4*200m freestyle relay, but will also assist Australia in the individual events. Currently, he is targeting to
qualify in the relay events and the 100m freestyle event for the upcoming Olympics.
Australia is aware of the fact that teams from Western Europe will give them a tough time next year, but Coates seemed very confident of achieving his goal at the London Olympics.
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