Swimming: Hickman 計画（する）s to be boss in his own backyard

Few swimmers can say they have beaten Australian sensation Ian Thorpe. Even より小数の can say they did so at a major 選手権. England's James Hickman can.

True, Thorpe was only 15 and he was swimming the 200 metre バタフライ event which he subsequently gave up.

Yet the world's most famous swimmer, with those size 17 feet, remains Hickman's prized scalp after a superb 業績／成果 in the last 連邦／共和国 Games of 1998 in Kuala Lumpur where he 嵐／襲撃するd to victory, while the Aussie 追跡するd in fourth.

But Stockport-born Hickman, 26, has 苦しむd his fair 株 of 失望s in an illustrious career and he will be hoping to put those lows behind him when he 企て，努力，提案s for one of the 38 swimming golds up for 得る，とらえるs in 前線 of a home （人が）群がる as he defends his 連邦／共和国 肩書を与える in Manchester at next week's Games.

Yet two years ago, it looked as though Hickman's career was 長，率いるing for a premature end.

事前の to the Sydney Olympics, he was the world short course 支持する／優勝者 in the 200m バタフライ and was 広範囲にわたって tipped for gold at the Games. Instead, Hickman and the 残り／休憩（する） of the British swimming squad produced a 一連の lamentable 業績／成果s and for the first time in 64 years - since the Berlin Games - they failed to 勝利，勝つ a 選び出す／独身 メダル.

Hickman, who finished 10th, said: 'The whole team didn't swim 井戸／弁護士席, and you have to look at the way the team 用意が出来ている. The Olympic 裁判，公判s were far too の近くに to the Games.'

Hickman had a better excuse for his own uncharacteristically poor showing, although he is 気が進まない to use it even now. His father died of 癌 at the age of 66, just 10 months before the Sydney showpiece.

'My mind just wasn't on the 職業,' he said. 'I didn't give 100 per cent to my swimming. I knew he was going to die and it 重さを計るs on your mind.'

By December 2000, Hickman 収容する／認めるs he was 'at his lowest'.

Gone was the Olympic dream, only to be followed up by 災害 in the European short course 選手権s in Valencia where he lost his 肩書を与える when finishing fourth.

He said: 'In 1999, I'd won one gold, two silver and one bronze at the Europeans. By 2000, it was nothing. I'd gone from four メダルs to nothing.'

Eight months later, for the first time in seven years, he failed to be selected for the 国家の long course team in Japan.

It would be hard for the most 楽観的な swimmer not to question whether all the hours and the 成果／努力 were 価値（がある） it.

But Hickman is different. Honest and ambitious, he drew on the 資源s that have made him a 勝利者, as he explained: 'My 態度 is, if you shoot for the moon, you might just reach the 星／主役にするs; 目的（とする） for the 星／主役にするs and you just might not make it.'

And に向かって the end of last year, two years after his father's death, his very best form returned when he won the European short course 肩書を与える at Antwerp.

He said: 'It was a big turning point. But I do 行方不明になる my dad. In your 早期に 20s you think you know everything.

'I wish I had someone to bounce things off and get another opinion from. That's what I 行方不明になる the most.'

Even without his father's 指導／手引, Hickman has 達成するd something no other swimmer in history has done; in Moscow this year he won his fourth world short course 200m バタフライ 肩書を与える に引き続いて 勝利s in Gothenburg (1997), Hong Kong (1999) and Athens (2000).

Now, the amiable six-footer who was educated at William Hulme Grammar School in Manchester, is ready to defend his 連邦／共和国 肩書を与える in his own backyard.

'I'm sure I can 勝利，勝つ in Manchester because I've been there before. I visualise the race. At the moment, I'm winning by a good 一打／打撃!' he said.

But he also knows there will be 堅い 対立 from Australians Justin Norris, ヒース／荒れ地 Ramsay and his own England team mate, Stephen Parry.

If Hickman does step on to the 最高の，を越す of the podium ag ain he says that it will be his 'most treasured 業績／成就'.

Even better than （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing Ian Thorpe.