March 19, 2002

By DENNIS PASSA

Associated Press Writer

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) Ian Thorpe is winning, but not in the same way he usually does.

Thorpe won the 200-meter freestyle Tuesday but for the second straight night failed to set a world mark at the Australian swim championships.

He won six gold medals and set three world records at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, last July. He won the 400 in Brisbane on Monday.

"I guess the expectation is there in every race, so in that way it's disappointing," Thorpe said.

He finished more than a second slower than his Fukuoka world record time of 1 minute, 44.06 seconds in the 200.

"I came into this meet feeling very strong, very confident, and it's disappointing that it's not resulting in world records," Thorpe said. "But often I go into meets under-prepared and set world records anyway."

He came close Monday night to setting his 17th world record in his four-year career, finishing 0.37 seconds off his mark in the 400. Finishing second in the 200 and 400 was Grant Hackett, who holds the world record for 1,500.

"It's healthy for him," Hackett said. "It's not going to be a walk in the park every time he gets in the water."

Thorpe has set his world records at 200, 400 and 800 meters. He thinks his ultimate strength will lie in the 100- and 200-meter sprints.

He's not entered in the 800 at the Chandler Aquatic Center, but has added the 100 backstroke to his schedule.

Thorpe will be in New York on March 27 to receive the American-International Athlete Trophy.

The Australian championships are being used to select the Aussie team for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, in July and the Pan Pacific Championships in Japan in August.