Editing Ian Thorpe (section)

==Comeback (2011–2012)==
In February 2011, Thorpe announced that he would come out of retirement and attempt to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Cowley|title=He's back – Thorpe takes the plunge|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/swimming/hes-back--thorpe-takes-the-plunge-20110201-1achy.html|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=2 February 2011|access-date=1 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203055643/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/swimming/hes-back--thorpe-takes-the-plunge-20110201-1achy.html|archive-date=3 February 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Nicole|last=Jeffery|title=Ian Thorpe back on the Olympic wagon|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/ian-thorpe-back-on-the-olympic-wagon/story-e6frg7mf-1225998613255|newspaper=[[The Australian]]|date=2 February 2011}}</ref> Thorpe's major focus was the 100&nbsp;m and 200&nbsp;m freestyle at 2012's trials, stating he could offer the most value to the Australian team in the relays. He would not swim the 400&nbsp;m, claiming he would not have enough time to build up endurance for that event.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/02/3128254.htm|title=Thorpe must come back 'better than ever'|newspaper=ABC News |date=2 February 2011|access-date=28 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629002000/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/02/3128254.htm|archive-date=29 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Thorpe swam the 100&nbsp;m butterfly and 100&nbsp;m medley in Singapore (4–5 November) and Beijing (8–9 November) before also taking on the 100&nbsp;m freestyle in the Tokyo (12–13 November) round of the [[2011 FINA Swimming World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Mixed bag for Thorpe in World Cup return|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/swimming/mixed-bag-for-thorpe-in-world-cup-return-20111018-1lyts.html|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=19 October 2011|access-date=19 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020122149/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/swimming/mixed-bag-for-thorpe-in-world-cup-return-20111018-1lyts.html|archive-date=20 October 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2012: Australian Olympic Trials and aftermath===
Thorpe's comeback attempt in the 200&nbsp;m freestyle came to an abrupt end on Day Two of [[2012 Australian Swimming Championships|Australia's Olympic Trials]] in Adelaide, on 16 March 2012. No longer allowed to wear the full-body racing suit (covering from neck to ankles and wrists) banned by [[LZR Racer|FINA rule changes]], he competed wearing just the "jammer" (hip to thigh) racing shorts. He swam very well in the morning heats, cruising to 1:49.18, a time which placed him equal fifth fastest. However, in the semi-finals that evening he faded over the last 100 metres, finishing in 12th place at 1:49.91. Speaking to reporters immediately afterwards, Thorpe said, "The last 100 was a struggle, I'm not sure why. This was slower than what I swam this morning, probably the inexperience of racing in the last 18 months held me up. The fairytale has turned into a nightmare."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/london-olympics/thorpe-fairytale-becomes-a-nightmare/story-fn9dheyx-1226302055936|title=Ian Thorpe finishes 12th in 200m freestyle at the Australian Swimming Championships|date=16 March 2012|work=Herald Sun|access-date=17 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404085515/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/london-olympics/thorpe-fairytale-becomes-a-nightmare/story-fn9dheyx-1226302055936|archive-date=4 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 100&nbsp;m freestyle on day 3 (17 March), Thorpe won his heat (the 9th of 12) but failed to break 50 seconds and did not advance to the semi-finals with the top 16 sprinters. Thus, his bid to qualify for the London Olympics officially ended.
[[File:Ian Thorpe's Giant Hands.jpg|thumb|300px|Ian Thorpe's hand prints at the Sydney Aquatic Centre.]]
It was subsequently announced that Thorpe was targeting qualification for the [[2013 World Aquatics Championships|2013 World Championships]] in Barcelona<ref>{{cite news|first=Jim|last=Tucker|title=Ian Thorpe sets sights on 2013 world championships in Barcelona|url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/london-olympics/ian-thorpe-sets-sights-on-2013-world-championships-in-barcelona/story-fndpumez-1226435988531|newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]]|location=Brisbane|date=26 July 2012|access-date=20 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806072220/http://www.news.com.au/sport/london-olympics/ian-thorpe-sets-sights-on-2013-world-championships-in-barcelona/story-fndpumez-1226435988531|archive-date=6 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and later the [[2014 Commonwealth Games]] in Glasgow,<ref>{{cite news|title=Ian Thorpe to set sights on making Australia's Commonwealth Games team|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/ian-thorpe-to-set-sights-on-making-australias-commonwealth-games-team/story-fnduczvk-1226563652026|newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]]|location=Brisbane|agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]]|date=28 January 2013}}</ref> but was forced to abandon his plans due to a shoulder injury.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jessica|last=Halloran|title=Ian Thorpe gives up on Olympic dreams after shoulder injury|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/ian-thorpe-gives-up-on-olympic-dreams-after-shoulder-injury/story-fni0cx12-1226686873505|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Sunday Telegraph]]|location=Sydney|publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]|date=27 July 2013|access-date=29 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140622084039/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/ian-thorpe-gives-up-on-olympic-dreams-after-shoulder-injury/story-fni0cx12-1226686873505|archive-date=22 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>