Thorpe says he expects to fail in Olympic bid

SYDNEY (AP) -- Five-time gold medalist Ian Thorpe expects to fail in his attempt to make the Australian Olympic team for London 2012, saying he may have made his return to competitive swimming too late.


A week before the Australian trials that will determine whether he qualifies for London, Thorpe told Australia's Network Ten that he doesn't have high expectations of making the team after modest results in lead-up events.


"The most realistic outcome of this is that I will most likely fail," he said in the television interview.


The 29-year-old Thorpe, who retired in November 2006 after setting 13 world records and winning 11 world championships gold medals, announced a comeback to competitive swimming nearly a year ago.

Obama, Australian PM pledge cooperation

President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (GIH'-lahrd) are pledging mutual cooperation in the increasingly important Asia-Pacific region and the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

Obama welcomed Gillard to the Oval Office on Monday in her first visit to the White House since winning election last summer as Australia's first female prime minister. The two leaders had met at overseas summits but this was the first time in the U.S.

Obama had been scheduled to visit Australia last year, but the trip was twice canceled because of domestic priorities.

The president thanked the Australian people and military forces for what he called extraordinary sacrifices made by Australian troops in Afghanistan.