Thorpe qualifies for Olympics

Ian Thorpe qualified for Australia's Olympic team today, with victory in the final of the 200 metres freestyle at the Australian championships, two days after he was disqualified in the 400m freestyle.

An Olympic silver medallist behind Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband in the 200m freestyle at the Sydney 2000 Games, Thorpe won the final in a time of one minute 45.07 seconds ahead of Grant Hackett in 1:45.61.

"I'm really relieved after that swim," said Thorpe, who is also likely to qualify for the team with a top-two finish in Wednesday's 100m freestyle final.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard yesterday expressed his sorrow that Thorpe would be unable to defend the 400m freestyle, his only solo Olympic crown at the Athens Games.

Thorpe was disqualified from his pet event after tumbling into the water before the starter's gun fired, so he cannot now defend the title he won in Sydney four years ago.

"I think it's a tragedy that arguably one of the greatest swimmers this country has produced is not going to be performing for his country in his prime event," Howard said on Australian television.

"I respect the independence of the swimming association and the Olympic body and I'll bet they're trying to find, you know, an honourable way of handling what is atrocious bad luck and a real tragedy for the country."

Australian Swimming's strict regulations state that only the top two finishers in the final can qualify for the Olympic team, providing both record times under the qualification limit. Grant Hackett, the second fastest man ever in 400m freestyle, and Thorpe's club-mate Craig Stevens did so yesterday.

Bar illness, the only way Thorpe can now secure a place in the event at the Olympics is if Stevens stands down. There is pressure on him from certain sections of the Australian public to do just that, should he qualify for his own favourite event, the 1500m freestyle, later this week.

But Thorpe has stated that was not what he wanted or expected of his close friend and threw his support behind Stevens. "I think Craig was feeling awkward about the whole situation. He is someone I have trained with and I've seen the hard work he has put in. If I had to to choose someone to make the Olympic team in this event it would be him," said Thorpe.

Filed by Mark O'Neill-Cummins