‘Thorpedo’ Will Work With USC

International swim star Ian Thorpe’s search for relative anonymity, and perhaps inspiration, has led him to USC, and the pool deck of Trojans Coach Dave Salo.

Anonymity and Los Angeles would not seem to go hand in hand for a top athlete, much less the holder of five Olympic gold medals. But it does when he happens to be a heavily scrutinized celebrity in his home country of Australia, falling just behind the likes of actress Nicole Kidman and singer Kylie Minogue.

“More than anything else it was to just get away from the barrage of attention,” Salo said Saturday morning at the Janet Evans Invitational at USC.

Thorpe is not competing in the Evans meet, nor has he been competing at all since the Commonwealth Game trials in February. Salo said Thorpe has been in the water three times this month since arriving in Southern California and is scheduled to stay here through September.

He has suffered a number of setbacks, of illness and injury, most recently breaking a bone in his hand in the spring. Salo said the hand is OK when Thorpe is in the water but is a problem when he is doing weight-bearing training. Australian media reported that Thorpe purchased a $1.1-million home in the Hollywood Hills in May.

This move represents something of a crossroads for the 23-year-old Australian, known as “Thorpedo.” He is considered perhaps the best middle-distance swimmer in the world.

Salo said Thorpe is planning on concentrating on the 100- and 200-meter freestyle races and has spoken to his former coaches and present coach in Australia to get a broader picture. “They all get a sense he wants to be part of a group that’s not going to be ogling him,” Salo said.

And Salo’s swimmers are used to seeing big names, as he has worked with Lenny Krayzelburg, Aaron Peirsol and Amanda Beard, among others. Thorpe’s arrival has been beneficial to Salo, who took over in April when Mark Schubert was hired by USA Swimming.

“One of the best swimmers in the world wants to work with Dave Salo -- it gives you some credibility with the kids,” Salo said, smiling.