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Former
Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe ended months of rampant
speculation and announced his return to the pool Wednesday, with an eye
on making the Australian team to swim at next year’s London Olympics.

The 28-year-old,
nicknamed “Thorpedo,” quit competitive swimming in 2006 after a
glittering career in which he captured nine Olympic medals, five gold,
three silver and a bronze, at Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004 and 11
world championship titles.

“It hasn’t been
something I’ve taken lightly, I made the decision last September,”
Thorpe told a televised news conference in Sydney.

“I went to see the
swimming venue for the London Olympics and it’s an extraordinary venue
and I could taste it, which is something I haven’t felt for a very,
very long time.

“I didn’t get back
into the pool to get fit, I got back into it for (no) other reason to
get back into the stage where I could compete at an elite level.”

Thorpe registered
for the drug-testing regime Wednesday. He must be registered in the
program for nine months before he can compete.

Thorpe, whose
speciality during the height of his career were the 200 and 400 metres
freestyle, said he would target the relays and the 100 and 200
freestyle when he returned to competition.

“It was on my bucket list to swim at another Olympics before I was 30,” Thorpe added.

“I’ve never not
liked swimming. I like the laps, I like the training and the hard work
and in the time out of the pool I have been able to get on with a
normal life, but this is something that has just been nagging at the
back of my mind.

“I have set myself in preparing for London and it may continue after that.

“The thing that is driving me, is being able to perform again.”