Thorpe has not finalised his programme for Athens but says he is no longer thinking about trying to match American Mark Spitz's record of seven Olympic golds.

Earlier Special Ian Thopre - The Amphibian

"I doubt I'll be swimming seven, I really do," Thorpe told reporters on Monday.

He has been touted as the man most likely to equal Spitz's record haul from Munich in 1972 ever since he won three golds as a 17-year-old at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Thorpe won a record six golds at the 2001 world championships in Japan and six at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

But his modest haul of three golds at last year's world championships in Barcelona has convinced him to forget about going for seven.

A freestyle specialist, Thorpe is committed to swimming the 100, 200 and 400 metres individual freestyle events plus the three relays but there is no obvious seventh event for him.

He won a silver medal in the backstroke in Manchester and the medley in Barcelona but does not want to overburden himself in Athens.

"I'm concentrating on my freestyle events," he said.

"I'm almost finalised that they are probably the only events that I'll be doing."

Thorpe's decision to stick to six events means American Michael Phelps will be left to chase Spitz's mark.

The Baltimore teenager won four golds in Barcelona and has been promised US$1 million if he can collect seven in Athens.