Klim returns with London 2012 in sights

Australia’s former world record holder Michael Klim followed Ian Thorpe out of retirement by announcing yesterday he hopes to swim at next year’s London Olympics.

Klim, 33, confirmed his comeback following the recent return to the pool of Olympic greats Thorpe and Libby Trickett.

The bald-headed Klim retired after the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne amid problems with a chronic shoulder injury.

At one stage he held the world record in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. He won gold for Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 4x100m freestyle relay along with Thorpe, Ashley Callus and Chris Fydler.

“I always enjoyed swimming, it’s a great sport and I’ve been part of the summer (meet) series recently, being amongst the youngsters on the team and I guess (it) just re-ignited that fuel in the belly,” Klim said on national television.

“I’ve been swimming probably since September and October and just trying to work out whether I really want to do it and most recently I decided I would have a go at (making) a fourth Olympic Games.”

Klim said he believed his best chance of making the Australian team for the London Games was in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

“It’s quite heavily contested already but I think for me right now it’s (about) training smartly,” Klim said.

Earlier this month, five-time Olympic Games freestyle champion Thorpe, 28, announced his return to swimming for the London Games.

Australia’s most decorated Olympian said he had decided to return to the sport back in September and started training in secret, using eight different pools to dodge media attention.