Thorpe: Pool roof debate all about making events sustainable

GIVEN one of his ambassadorial roles away from the swimming pool, it’s fitting that Ian Thorpe speaks with his business head on when asked about the much-discussed lack of a roof on the Commonwealth Games aquatic centre.

“Is having a roof on a pool better for ideal conditions for performance? Of course,” the swimming legend and Optus Small and Medium Business (SMB) ambassador said.

“(But) knowing it was going to cost far more money to build a roof, I find it acceptable not to have one.

“We have to look at things like the Commonwealth Games and Olympics and the sustainability of them … so I find it entirely acceptable, especially if we are looking at how we make the (events) leaner so more cities want to be involved.”

Thorpe, who won multiple Olympic and Commonwealth Games titles, is heading to GC2018 as a television commentator, Optus ambassador and fan of the city.

“It’s funny – I don’t need (GPS) navigation on the Gold Coast,” he laughed.

“I recently had a (video) shoot at Miami and knew exactly where to go. We had countless training camps from the time I was very young.”

Thorpe recently launched his own small business Beon, which teaches clients about performance excellence, and sees a direct link between his new world and his athletic career.

“Both can be overwhelming,” he said. “There can be long hours, getting up very early … you get the joys but you also get the stresses that come with preparation.

“(In my role with Optus) my role is to talk to small businesses and try to get them to the next level.

“If you are someone who can commit to achieving a goal and know that hard work is required, you can transfer those skills to any part of your life.”

Optus SMB is giving small business owners the chance to win a $10,000 cash injection to help take their businesses to the next level, as well as tickets to the Commonwealth Games.

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