Thorpedo slams targets

Too much pressure on athletes, Olympic star says

IAN Thorpe has called for change with how sporting bodies approach major competitions like the Olympics to ease the burden on athletes.

The Australian swimming legend believes there is too much pressure placed on competitors when organisations set medal targets for events. Instead of being ambitious in setting high goals, Thorpe says it’s having a detrimental effect on athletes’ performances.

“I don’t think it’s beneficial when sporting organisations are talking about how many gold medals we’ll win at a competition and that will be the highest number we’ve ever won,” Thorpe said yesterday.

“It puts an immense amount of pressure on athletes around something they have no control over.

“What I’d prefer to see happen is we know the athletes represent our communities, they’ll represent the diversity of this country and they’re going to represent it well to the best of our ability and that will lead to gold medals.”

Before Rio 2016, the Australian Olympic Committee predicted Australia would win 13 gold medals, for an overall tally of 37.

The Australian team returned with eight golds and a total of 29. Swimmer Cate Campbell said she had the “greatest choke in history” after finishing sixth in the 100m freestyle final when starting as the hot favourite.

Thorpe, who won five Olympic gold medals, is hoping to influence change on athletes’ mental health and performance after taking on a role with the Australian Institute of Sport.

Thorpe is better placed than most to help the AIS after being thrust into the spotlight at 14, becoming one of Australia’s highest-profile athletes and experiencing mental health difficulties, including depression, after retiring. The 35-year-old launched the AIS’ Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement division at a two-day summit in Canberra.

Thorpe says the AIS needs to be the “world’s leader” in looking after its athletes.

“This (program) is probably the biggest gift the AIS has given to the sporting community, not the athletes, it’s our knowledge bank we’ve been able to build up over decades.

“It’s the most valuable tool that we have to be able to use to continue to progress sporting performances.”

Fellow Australian Olympic gold medallists Kim Brennan and Alisa Camplin are also in Canberra for the launch.