They have enough Olympic medals to sink the pool in Singapore, but Aussie hopes are high that these two Olympic Champions will create the right kind of splash in their first comeback races.

Ian Thorpe, with five gold medals and an Olympic tally of nine, and triple gold medallist Libby Trickett take to the blocks at a World Cup short-course meet in Singapore beginning on Friday.

Thorpe is unexpectedly contesting the individual medley and butterfly despite being a freestyle superstar, as Trickett tackles her preferred events; the 50m and 100m freestyle and butterfly.

The pair are testing the waters at the short-course meet where form can be harder to gauge, with comeback campaigns tailored around the Australian Olympic Selection Trials in March.

Thorpe and Trickett have played tremendous roles in Australia’s Olympic campaigns since 2000. Having these two superstars earn selection for their third Olympics would be a huge boost for the entire 2012 Australian Olympic Team.

Between them they have 15 medals- eight gold, four silver and three bronze medals- more than the national tally of Italy, France or Canada at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

We have listed 10 of their best Olympic races. And here’s hoping there are plenty more to come in 2012:

1. Thorpe opens the first night of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with a phenomenal win in the 400m freestyle in world record time. Listen to ABC Radio Grandstand race call>>>

2. On the same night, Thorpe anchors the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay team, combining with Michael Klim, Chris Fydler and Ashley Callus to defeat the USA for the first time in the event and claim another world record. Listen to ABC Radio Grandstand race call>>>

3. Still in 2000, Thorpe races in the 4x200m freestyle relay with Klim, Todd Pearson and Bill Kirby and wins his third gold medal on debut, again in world record time.

4. Thorpe almost loses his chance to defend his 400m title in Athens when he falls into the pool at the Australian Olympic Trials. Craig Stevens stands aside to allow Thorpe to race and he secures an emotional gold medal.

5. Thorpe then competes in the 200m freestyle -billed as “the race of the century” and wins gold against Pieter van den Hoogenband and Michael Phelps. In doing so Thorpe became Australia’s greatest Olympic gold medal-winner with a haul of five.

6. On debut in Athens, Trickett (then Lenton) combines with Alice Mills, Petria Thomas and Jodie Henry to win the 4x100m freestyle relay in world record time on the first night of racing. It was just the second time Australia had won gold in a women’s relay event – the only other was with Dawn Fraser at the helm at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

7. Trickett entered the Athens Games as the fastest 100m freestyle swimmer in the world but failed to make the final. She bounces back to win her first individual medal- bronze in the splash and dash 50m freestyle.

8. In 2008 Trickett is hoping for the best in her favoured 100m freestyle but almost misses the final again. Trickett only lands a place in the Beijing Olympic final when a Chinese swimmer was disqualified. Under world record pace at the halfway mark, Trickett is out-touched into silver by Britta Steffen.

9. Trickett finally wins her first individual gold medal in the 100m butterfly in Beijing ahead of compatriot Jessicah Schipper.

10. To wrap up her Beijing Olympic campaign Trickett combines with Emily Seebohm, Liesel Jones and Schipper to claim gold in the 4x100m medley relay in world record time.

Outside the Olympic arena both have set numerous world records and at times dominated the world of swimming. In 2001, Thorpe won a record six gold at the World Championships in 2001 and Trickett won five at the Melbourne World Championships in 2007.

Taya Conomos & Andrew Reid
AOC