Thorpe in the spotlight

Ian Thorpe will revive memories of the Sydney Olympics on Sunday when the main pool events get under way at the world swimming championships.

Thorpe illuminated one of the greatest nights in swimming history when he pulverised the 400 metres freestyle world record to win his first Olympic title. He later anchored Australia to more gold in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay amid scenes of joyful pandemonium at Sydney's Homebush pool when two world records were broken in one race and the Americans suffered their first defeat in the event at an Olympics.

Thorpe reeled in top American Gary Hall in that relay after compatriot Michael Klim had broken the 100 metres freestyle world record as lead-off swimmer. Now the Australian goes into the 400 freestyle an overwhelming favourite to retain the title he won as a 15-year-old in Perth in January 1998 to become the youngest male world individual swimming champion.

He has monopolised the event since, lowering the world record three times. Such is his dominance that defeat in the Fukuoka Marine Messe indoor pool would be the biggest upset of the championships.

Thorpe came within a split-second of breaking his Sydney Olympic world record at the Australian championships in Hobart in March, winning by nearly five seconds from Grant Hackett, whose own time was faster than that of anyone else in the world, bar Thorpe, this year.

ASTONISHING PROGRESS

Italy's Massimiliano Rosolino, who made astonishing progress last year and took the silver medal behind Thorpe in the Olympic 400, could foil an Australian one-two.

After the showdown in Sydney, the Australians face another duel with the United States in the sprint freestyle relay, with the Americans seeking to extend their record of eight wins in the event in eight world championships.

Australia's chances will be enormously influenced by the form of Klim, who has spent the run-up to Fukuoka having treatment for an ankle injury sustained playing basketball in part of his warm-up routine late last month.

American Anthony Ervin, who shared Olympic gold with club mate Hall in the 50 metres freestyle in Sydney, is fastest in the world in the 100 this year, just ahead of Thorpe. Hall himself is not in the U.S. squad, while Australia have lost the retired Chris Fydler from the quartet who swam to glory in Sydney.

Two other world records were shattered that night when Yana Klochkova of Ukraine won the women's 400 metres individual medley and the United States sprinted away in the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay.

GOLDEN AMBITION

Klochkova, who took the silver medal at the last world championships as a 15-year-old behind China's Chen Yan, will again feature on the opening day and should claim the first pool gold of these championships.

Olympic bronze medallist Beatrice Caslaru of Romania, Germans Annika Mehlhorn and Nicole Hetzer and Americans Kaitlin Sandeno and Maggie Bowen appear the leading challengers.

The men's 400 freestyle and 4x100 freestyle relay and the women's 400 individual medley are the only finals on the first day of the eight-day programme but four events will feature in semifinals: the men's 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke and the women's 100 breaststroke and 200 butterfly.

Ervin has a great chance of adding world to Olympic gold in the 50 freestyle in the absence of 1994 champion Alexander Popov, who has withdrawn through illness.

Dutch Olympic bronze medallist Pieter van den Hoogenband, conqueror of Popov in the Olympic 100 and Thorpe in the 200, and Britain's world short-course champion Mark Foster will also be in the hunt.

Australia's Matt Welsh and American Aaron Piersol are the leading contenders to inherit the 100 backstroke world crown of Ukrainian-born American Lenny Krayzelburg, who is competing instead in the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

China's Luo Xuejuan has been the pace-setter in the women's 100 metres breaststroke this year but must contend with Olympic champion Megan Quann and defending world champion Kristy Kowal, the U.S. standard-bearers.

Petria Thomas begins her quest to succeed fellow Australian Susie O'Neill as 200 butterfly world champion.

But the main spotlight will be on Thorpe as he aims to pull off more famous exploits.