Trickett confident despite Thorpe flop

Olympic champion Libby Trickett said Ian Thorpe crashing out at the Australian trials would not affect her own comeback as she bids for a place at this year's London Games. Trickett, 27, was thrilled to qualify seventh fastest into the women's 100-metres freestyle semi-finals as she attempts to reach her third Olympics after an 18-month retirement from swimming. Five-time Olympic champion Thorpe missed out on London after failing to make the semi-finals of the 100m freestyle and bombing out in the 200m freestyle earlier at the trials. Thorpe, 29, who broke a six-year retirement to target a spot on the Australian team for London, said Sunday the bitter disappointment would not stop him from planning ahead to his next competition. Trickett missed out on a chance of defending her Olympic title with a third place in the 100m butterfly at the trials but is attempting to finish in the top-two in the event where she took silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She said she remained confident despite Thorpe's outcome at the trials and the struggle of 34-year-old sprinter Michael Klim to make the London team after also coming out of retirement. "I'm a different athlete, I'm a different person. Thorpey was out for six years, Klimmy (Klim) was out for four or five years, I was only out for 18 months max," Trickett told reporters. "I've probably given myself enough time to prepare for this meet and we're all different athletes so I can't take their results as what's going to be inevitable for me. "I feel good. I'm up there. I got third in the 100 'fly, I've qualified in the top eight already for the 100 freestyle. I'm pretty confident. She said she was saddened by Thorpe's failure to qualify. "He's a true champion in every sense of the word and I think he does so much for the sport and so it's great to hear that he's planning on continuing." Trickett, who swam 54.83 seconds in her heat, believes it will take a time in the low 54 seconds to reach Tuesday's 100m freestyle at the trials. Cate Campbell (54.26) and Yolane Kukla (54.27) topped the times in Monday's heats, with only 0.6secs separating the top eight fastest. "It will be a pretty tight final for the women, it's probably the most depth we've had in this event for a very long time," Trickett said. "It's going to be a tough bloody event, the girls are tough little competitors and I'm excited. I'm prepared and up for it."