Ian Thorpe The Australian December 2006

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John Stapleton

A relaxed, happy and very much retired Ian Thorpe posed cheerfully for cameras today as he inspected the new $40 million Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre.

Thorpe obligingly stuck his palms into concrete for posterity and signed tiles for the workers on the site to take home.

Thorpe agreed to a request from Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore 18 months ago to have the centre named after him.

She said naming a pool after Thorpe continued a Sydney tradition of naming pools after the country's greatest swimmers, including the Dawn Frazer pool at Balmain and the Boy Charleton pool in the Domain.

The pool complex, in the inner-western suburb of Ultimo, was architect Harry Seidler's last public building before his death in March.

The building's roof forms a wave shape, with the highest space being over the largest pool. Glazing on the eastern site opens onto a terrace with views of the city skyline, while the complex itself will include a 50 metre pool, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, cafe and fitness centre. Still a construction site, it is due to open next March.

Thorpe said he was proud to have his name on Seidler's last work, which was a fitting tribute to his legacy around the country. ``In a few months time these pools will be full of water,'' he said. ``I'm looking forward to it. It is going to be a wonderful public space. And one day, who knows, a kid who learns to swim in this pool will go on and represent Australia at the Olympic Games,'' he said. ``That would make me immensely proud.''

Thorpe said more facilities were needed in growing innner-city areas like Ultimo to encourage both the young and the elderly into more healthy lifestyles and because of its convenient location was likely to make it his pool of choice in the future.

While he appeared completely relaxed and at ease with himself, the champion swimmer, who announced his retirement last month, said he was still adjusting.

Thorpe said now that he was retired he could possibly get involved with projects for the local community centred around the pool, and right now he would like to get involved building it just to hurry up its completion date.

On retirement Thorpe said he had received some good offers and ``some terribly bad ones''; and was coping with it ``uncomfortably''.

``It is a really strange transition,'' he said. ``I am extremely busy. I am looking forward to a break over Christmas.''