Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe made a disappointing return to action yesterday as he finished second-last in his first race since ending a five-year retirement.

Thorpe, 29, swimming the unaccustomed 100m individual medley at a World Cup short-course event in Singapore, was already off the pace after the first 25m and he ended seventh, more than three seconds adrift of winner Chad le Clos.

The five-time Olympic champion, whose comeback has sparked anti-cipation of a London 2012 match-up with Michael Phelps, glared at the scoreboard before smiling and shaking hands with a competitor.

The performance rounded off a dispiriting night for Australian veterans as triple Olympic champion Libby Trickett, who also came out of retirement this year, finished last and sixth on her return to international competition.

But Thorpe, who announced his shock return to the pool in February and has been training in Switzerland under coach Gennadi Touretski, put a brave face on his swim which disappointed a small but favourable crowd at the low-key event.

“It wasn’t too bad – I’m not embarrassed,” said Thorpe.

“I’m still smiling. Test me when I get to Japan, I may not be.”

Thorpe, who retired in 2006 aged just 24, will also swim the 100m butterfly on the second and final day of competition today.