Thorpe Admits: 'Sluggish at Best'

Ian Thorpe had little to say after his first major swim in 17 months at the Commonwealth Games Trials last night in Melbourne.

'Sluggish at best' was all the swim star would say.

The comment is believed to be aimed at promoting Thorpe's new underwear line made for the 'lesser man.'

Thorpe told fashion analysts that the 'Slug-smuggler' range were designed to accentuate the finer points of a man 'not of the specific build to wear budgie-smugglers.'

'It's all about confidence' Thorpe told The Far Side, 'the Slug-Smuggler puts pride in having a small package.'

Thorpe showed up to the Melbourne Swim meet with the first traces of a beard he is apparently growing for a role in Osama Bin Laden's next amateur film to be filmed in early July.