 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Thorpe akakwikwidza pa Australian Age Championships muna 1996 muBrisbane, akahwina menduru dzendarama shanu, sirivha mbiri uye mbiri dzendarira. Nguva dzake mumakwikwi e400 m freestyle uye 200 m backstroke dzakamukodzera kumakwikwi eAustralia, ayo akapetwa kaviri semiyedzo yekusarudza maOlympics eAtlanta muna 1996. Frost aiziva kuti Thorpe akanga asina mukana chaiwoiwo wokuva pakati pevaviri vokutanga muchinoitika chipi nechipi, izvo zvingadai zvakareva kusarudzwa kweOlympic pamakore 13 chete nemwedzi mitanhatu. Akatumira Thorpe kuSydney kungoti awane ruzivo rwokukwikwidzana pamwero mukuru wenyika. Sezvaitarisirwa, Thorpe akakundikana kusarudzwa; akapedza ari wechi23 mumamita mazana mana akasununguka uye wechi36 mumamita mazana maviri kumusana. Pakupera kwegore racho, Thorpe akakwanisa kupinda muAustralia Short Course Championships. Yakanga iri imwezve mukana wokusarudzwa senyika, sezvo chiitiko chacho chakashanda sezviedzo zvokusarudzwa nokuda kweFINA World Swimming Championships ya1997. Thorpe akawana nzvimbo yechipiri mumakwikwi e400 m ega ega uye akasvika kumagumo ake ekutanga emunyika. Zvisinei, akabhururuka zvishoma nezvishoma mumakwikwi okupedzisira uye akakundikana kusarudzwa. 