Ian Thorpe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ian Thorpe
AM

Thorpe at Doha GOALS Forum 2012
Personal information
Nickname(s)	"Thorpedo" "Thorpey"
Born	(1982-10-13) 13 October 1982 (age 42) Sydney, Australia
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	104 kg (229 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	SLC Aquadot
Coach	Doug Frost (1995–2002) Tracey Menzies (2002–2006)
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Australia Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 5 3 1 World Championships (LC) 11 1 1 World Championships (SC) 2 1 0 Pan Pacific Championships 9 3 0 Commonwealth Games 10 1 0 Total 37 9 2 Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney 400 m freestyle Gold 2000 Sydney 4×100 m free Gold 2000 Sydney 4×200 m free Gold 2004 Athens 200 m freestyle Gold 2004 Athens 400 m freestyle Silver 2000 Sydney 200 m freestyle Silver 2000 Sydney 4×100 m medley Silver 2004 Athens 4×200 m free Bronze 2004 Athens 100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 1998 Perth 400 m freestyle Gold 1998 Perth 4×200 m free Gold 2001 Fukuoka 200 m freestyle Gold 2001 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle Gold 2001 Fukuoka 800 m freestyle Gold 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m free Gold 2001 Fukuoka 4×200 m free Gold 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley Gold 2003 Barcelona 200 m freestyle Gold 2003 Barcelona 400 m freestyle Gold 2003 Barcelona 4×200 m free Silver 2003 Barcelona 200 m medley Bronze 2003 Barcelona 100 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 1999 Hong Kong 200 m freestyle Gold 1999 Hong Kong 4×100 m free Silver 1999 Hong Kong 400 m freestyle Pan Pacific Championships Gold 1999 Sydney 200 m freestyle Gold 1999 Sydney 400 m freestyle Gold 1999 Sydney 4×100 m free Gold 1999 Sydney 4×200 m free Gold 2002 Yokohama 100 m freestyle Gold 2002 Yokohama 200 m freestyle Gold 2002 Yokohama 400 m freestyle Gold 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m free Gold 2002 Yokohama 4×200 m free Silver 1997 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle Silver 1997 Fukuoka 4×200 m free Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley Commonwealth Games Gold 1998 Kuala Lumpur 200 m freestyle Gold 1998 Kuala Lumpur 400 m freestyle Gold 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×100 m free Gold 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×200 m free Gold 2002 Manchester 100 m freestyle Gold 2002 Manchester 200 m freestyle Gold 2002 Manchester 400 m freestyle Gold 2002 Manchester 4×100 m free Gold 2002 Manchester 4×200 m free Gold 2002 Manchester 4×100 m medley Silver 2002 Manchester 100 m backstroke

Ian James Thorpe (born 13 October 1982) is an Australian retired swimmer. He was amazing at freestyle, but also competed in backstroke and individual medley races. He won five Olympic gold medals, which is the second most for any Australian swimmer. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in his hometown of Sydney, Thorpe was the most successful athlete, winning three gold and two silver medals.

At just 14 years old, Thorpe became the youngest male swimmer to represent Australia. He won the 400 metre freestyle at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships in Perth, making him the youngest male World Champion ever. After this win, Thorpe was almost unbeatable in the 400 metre freestyle. He won this event at every Olympic, World, Commonwealth, and Pan Pacific Swimming Championships until his break after the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, he made history by winning six gold medals in one World Championship. Besides setting 13 individual world records in long-course swimming, Thorpe was a key part of Australia's relay teams. He helped win the 4 × 100 metre and 4 × 200 metre freestyle relays in Sydney, setting five relay world records. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, he won gold in the 200 metre and 400 metre freestyle, and a bronze in the 100 metre freestyle. This made him the only male swimmer to win medals in the 100–200–400 metre combination. People called him "Thorpedo" because of his incredible speed. Thorpe announced he was retiring from swimming in November 2006, saying he wasn't as motivated anymore. He tried to come back briefly in 2011 and 2012.

In total, Ian Thorpe won eleven World Championship gold medals. This is one of the highest numbers of gold medals won by any male swimmer. He was the first person to be named Swimming World Swimmer of the Year four times. He was also the Australian Swimmer of the Year from 1999 to 2003. His amazing achievements made him one of Australia's most popular athletes. He was recognized as the Young Australian of the Year in 2000.

Early Life and First Swims

Ian Thorpe was born in Sydney, Australia, on October 13, 1982. He grew up in a suburb called Milperra. His family was very sporty. His dad, Ken, was a good cricket player. His mom, Margaret, played A-grade netball.

Ian didn't have his parents' ball skills. His older sister, Christina, started swimming to help a broken wrist. Five-year-old Ian followed her into the pool. His dad wanted his kids to enjoy sports, so he didn't pressure them. Ian was a big baby, weighing 4.1 kg and measuring 59 cm at birth.

As a young child, Ian had an allergy to chlorine. This meant he had to swim with his head out of the water. Even with this unusual style, he won his first race at a school carnival when he was seven. He won mostly because he was much bigger than the other kids.

Ian slowly got over his allergy. In 1994, he became captain of the New South Wales team for the Australian Primary Schools Championships. That same year, he won nine individual gold medals at the New South Wales Short Course Age Championships. In 1995, Ian started high school at East Hills Boys Technology High School. He also changed coaches to train with his sister under Doug Frost.

Becoming a Young Champion

In 1996, Ian competed at the Australian Age Championships. He won five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. His times in the 400 metre freestyle and 200 metre backstroke were fast enough to qualify him for the Australian Championships. These championships were also the trials for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Ian was only 13 years old, so his coach, Doug Frost, knew he wouldn't make the Olympic team. But he sent Ian to Sydney to get experience competing against older, more senior swimmers. As expected, Ian didn't make the team. He finished 23rd in the 400 metre freestyle and 36th in the 200 metre backstroke.

Later that year, Ian qualified for the Australian Short Course Championships. This event was for selecting the team for the 1997 FINA World Swimming Championships. Ian finished second in the heats of the 400 metre individual medley. This was his first time reaching a national final. However, he swam slower in the final and didn't get selected.

In January 1997, at the New South Wales Championships, Ian swam the 400 metre freestyle in 3 minutes 59.43 seconds. This was eight seconds faster than his best time before. He became the first 14-year-old to swim under four minutes in Australia. Ian was ranked fourth in the country for this event. He went into the Australian Championships in Adelaide as a strong contender for the national team. He aimed for the 1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

To be selected, he needed to finish in the top three and meet a specific qualifying time. Ian focused on the 400 metre freestyle. Other top swimmers like Kieren Perkins and Daniel Kowalski were injured. Ian won a bronze medal behind 16-year-old Grant Hackett. He set a new personal best of 3 minutes 53.44 seconds. This time was a world record for his age group. This race was the first of many exciting battles between Thorpe and Hackett.

At 14 years and 5 months old, Ian Thorpe became the youngest male swimmer ever chosen for the Australian team. He broke John Konrads' record by one month. His coach, Frost, said this selection made Ian focus more on freestyle swimming. Ian continued his great form at the Australian Age Championships. He competed in all twelve events, winning ten individual gold and two bronze medals. He also set six new Australian records.

Early International Success (1997–1998)

First International Races (1997)

1997 Pan Pacific Championships
Silver	400 m freestyle	3:49.64
Silver	4×200 m freestyle	7:15.72

In June 1997, Ian had an appendix operation. This made him miss two weeks of training before the 1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. In Japan, Ian swam the 200 metre freestyle and set a new personal best time of 1 minute 51.46 seconds. This time wasn't enough for the final, but it got him selected for the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay team.

With teammates Michael Klim, Ian van der Wal, and Hackett, Ian won a silver medal. This made him the youngest ever Pan Pacific medalist. In his first individual international final, the 400 metre freestyle, Ian was fifth at the 300 metre mark. But he fought hard and won a silver medal behind Hackett, with a time of 3 minutes 49.64 seconds. His strong finish became his signature move. This time would have won a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics.

In October 1997, just before his fifteenth birthday, Ian competed in trials for the 1998 World Aquatics Championships in Perth. He qualified for the World Championships by finishing fourth in the 200 metre freestyle and second in the 400 metre freestyle. He set new personal bests in both races.

Winning World Titles (1998)

1998 World Championships
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:46.29
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:12.45

Ian Thorpe's first big international event in Australia was the 1998 World Aquatics Championships in Perth. He started with the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay. Ian swam the third part of the relay after Klim and Hackett. He pulled away from American swimmer Tom Malchow, swimming his leg in 1 minute 47.67 seconds. By the end of Ian's leg, the Australians were two seconds ahead of the world record pace. Even though the last swimmer, Daniel Kowalski, didn't break the world record, it was the first time Australia had won this event at a global competition since 1956.

Before the 400 metre freestyle final, Ian was ranked fourth in the world. Hackett led this race from the start. Hackett was 2.29 seconds ahead of Ian at the 300 metre mark. Ian closed the gap to 1.53 seconds at 350 metres. Hackett led until Ian passed him on the very last stroke! Ian's time was the fourth fastest ever. He became the youngest male individual world champion at 15 years and 3 months old.

Because of his win in Australia, Ian became very famous. He got many offers for TV commercials and was often asked for autographs. He also became a strong supporter of the Children's Cancer Institute.

Commonwealth Games Success (1998)

1998 Commonwealth Games
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:46.70
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:44.35
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:17.83
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:11.86 (WR)

Ian's next competition was in March at the Australian Championships in Melbourne. These trials were for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. Ian kept getting better. He beat Klim in the 200 metre freestyle with a time of 1 minute 47.24 seconds. This was faster than Klim's winning time at the World Championship two months earlier. Ian's time was a Commonwealth record, and he won his first national title.

He then won the 400 metre freestyle title from Hackett. He also swam the 100 metre freestyle in 50.36 seconds. This time earned him a silver medal in his first 100 metre race at the national level. This meant he was selected for three individual events at the Commonwealth Games.

Ian's success continued when the Australian team arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the Commonwealth Games in September. His first event was the 200 metre freestyle. He led the whole race and finished just one hundredth of a second slower than Giorgio Lamberti's world record. Then, he teamed up with Klim, Kowalski, and Matt Dunn in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay. They broke the world record set by the Unified Team in 1992 by 0.09 seconds.

Ian's winning streak paused when his personal best of 50.21 seconds in the 100 metre freestyle was only enough for fourth place. But he returned to victory with the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team. He won a fourth gold medal in the 400 metre freestyle, setting another personal best. This time was just 0.55 seconds slower than Kieren Perkins' 1994 record.

Ian left school at the end of the year after finishing Year 10. Some people worried that focusing only on swimming might lead to him getting tired of the sport. But Ian disagreed, saying he always looked for knowledge in other ways. He said, "Swimming is a small part of my life." His impact in swimming was recognized when he became the youngest male swimmer to be named Swimming World Swimmer of the Year.

Breaking Records (1999–2002)

1999 World Short Course Championships
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:43.28 (WR)
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:11.21
Silver	400 m freestyle	3:35.64

In 1999, many in the media expected Ian Thorpe to break both the 200 metre and 400 metre world records. This was because he was still growing physically. His first chance came in March at the 1999 Australian Championships in Brisbane. This event was also for selecting the team for the 1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Ian won the 400 metre again, but he missed Perkins' record by just 0.05 seconds.

Hackett then beat Ian in the 200 metre event, passing him in the last 50 metres to win Ian's title. Although both were outside Lamberti's record, Hackett broke it the next night in a relay. Ian finished the Championships by improving his 100 metre freestyle time to 49.98 seconds. This was his first time swimming under 50 seconds.

The Australian team then went to Hong Kong for the 1999 World Short Course Championships. There, Ian broke Lamberti's record in the 200 metre freestyle. This was the longest-standing world record at the time. However, Hackett beat him in the 400 metre. This started a three-year period where Ian set 13 individual long-course world records. He led the men's relay team to amazing wins, including historic victories over the Americans. Ian peaked in 2001 when he became the first person to win six gold medals at one world championship. He set three world records and helped Australia top the medal count at a global meet for the first time since 1956. During this time, he was named Swimming World Swimmer of the Year three times.

Pan Pacific Championships (1999)

1999 Pan Pacific Championships
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:46.00 (WR)
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:41.83 (WR)
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:16.08
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:08.70 (WR)

The 1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships were held in August at Sydney Olympic Park. This event was like a practice run for the 2000 Summer Olympics at the same place. Everyone expected Ian to set world records at his first international competition in Sydney. The event was even shown live on Australian television for the first time.

On the first night, Ian competed against Hackett and South Africa's Ryk Neethling in the 400 metre freestyle final. The three swimmers were together at the 200 metre mark, on world record pace. Then, Ian pulled ahead, being 1.86 seconds ahead of world-record pace at 300 metres. He increased his lead to four body lengths by the 350 metre mark. He finished in 3 minutes 41.83 seconds, cutting almost two seconds off the world record. He swam the second half of the race almost as fast as the first. Ian donated the A$25,000 prize money for breaking the first world record in the pool to charity.

Later that night, Ian was the anchor swimmer for Australia in the 4 × 100 metre freestyle final. This was a historic win because the United States had never lost this event before. Ian swam his part of the relay in an Australian record time of 48.55 seconds. This was almost a second faster than his best individual time. This was the first of many times he would lead Australian relay teams to victory over the Americans.

The next night, in the semi-finals of the 200 metre freestyle, Ian broke Hackett's world record by 0.33 seconds, swimming in 1 minute 46.34 seconds. The day after, in the final, he broke the record again, lowering it to 1 minute 46.0 seconds. He finished the competition by leading the 4 × 200 metre freestyle team with Klim, Hackett, and Bill Kirby to victory. Their time broke their own world record by more than three seconds. This completed Ian's fourth world record in four nights.

After the Pan Pacific Championships, Ian signed a big deal with Adidas. This caused a problem because the national team was sponsored by Speedo. This led to many discussions and uncertainty. Also, in October, Ian broke a bone in his ankle while jogging. However, his great performance that year was recognized. He was again named World Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World and Australian Swimmer of the Year by Swimming Australia. He was also named Young Australian of the Year.

Preparing for the 2000 Olympics

In 2000, Ian Thorpe wanted to add a third individual event to his Olympic schedule. He tried the 1500 metre freestyle at the New South Wales Championships in January and won. Ian then went on a European FINA World Cup tour to improve his racing skills. He cut more than 1.5 seconds off his world short course record in the 200 metre freestyle. Ian said this was his best performance ever, even better than his Olympic and World wins.

When he returned from Europe, Ian faced more uncertainty until he was allowed to wear his Adidas suit instead of the Speedo uniforms. With these issues resolved, Ian went to the Olympic selection trials in May 2000. On the first night, he broke his 400 metre world record again, lowering it to 3 minutes 41.33 seconds. This earned him his first Olympic selection. The next day, he broke his 200 metre world record twice. First, he swam 1 minute 45.69 seconds in the semi-finals, then 1 minute 45.51 seconds in the final. He tried to qualify for a third individual event, but he finished fourth in the 100 metre final and pulled out of the 1500 metre race.

Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

2000 Summer Olympics
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:40.59 (WR)
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:13.67 (WR)
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:07.05 (WR)
Silver	200 m freestyle	1:45.83
Silver	4×100 m medley	3:35.27

As the Olympics began, Australians expected Ian Thorpe to win many gold medals and break world records. Daily Telegraph even had a headline saying "Invincible." On the first morning, Ian easily swam through the heats of the 400 metre race, setting a new Olympic record.

By the time of the final that night, the pressure was huge. Australia had not yet won a gold medal. Ian led the whole race. Italy's Massimiliano Rosolino was close at 300 metres, but Ian's strong finish gave him a three body-length lead. He set a new world record of 3 minutes 40.59 seconds.

Later that night, Ian was the anchor swimmer for the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team, along with Klim, Chris Fydler, and Ashley Callus. The Americans had never lost this event at the Olympics. Australia was just ahead of the United States after the third swimmer. Ian started his dive much better than Gary Hall Jr., and came up a body length ahead. Hall caught up by the final turn, but Ian's powerful finish passed him in the last few metres. This caused huge celebrations in the crowd.

Before the relay, Hall had written online that his team would "smash them (Australia's 4x100m team) like guitars." After the race, the Australian team pretended to play air guitar on the pool deck. Hall later said, "I don't even know how to play the guitar... I consider it the best relay race I've ever been part of. I doff my cap to the great Ian Thorpe."

The next morning, Ian broke the 200 metre freestyle Olympic record in the heats. His main rival, Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands, seemed to give up. However, van den Hoogenband swam much faster in the semi-finals, setting a new world record of 1 minute 45.35 seconds. Ian qualified second with his own personal best, just 0.02 seconds slower. He felt a lot of pressure to win the final the next day.

Van den Hoogenband started fast in the final. Ian chased him, being only 0.04 seconds behind at 100 metres. Both swimmers turned at 150 metres at the exact same time. Because Ian started faster than usual, he tired. Van den Hoogenband pulled away to win the gold medal and equal his world record, surprising the home crowd. Ian finished in 1 minute 45.83 seconds. This was the first time he had swum slower in a final than in the qualifying rounds. Ian would never lose to van den Hoogenband in a long course 200 metre race again.

Ian returned to victory when he led off the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay the next night. He built a 10 metre lead over American Scott Goldblatt in the first leg. Although Ian couldn't get back the individual world record, he, Klim, Kirby, and Todd Pearson broke their world record, swimming in 7 minutes 07.05 seconds. This was over five seconds ahead of the Americans. Ian finished his Olympics by swimming in the heats of the 4 × 100 metre medley relay. He earned a silver medal when the team in the final finished behind the Americans.

Ian's performances made him Australia's top medalist at the Games. The Australian Olympic Committee honored him by letting him carry the flag at the closing ceremony. With three gold and two silver medals, Ian was the most successful athlete at the 2000 Olympic Games.

World Championships (2001)

2001 World Championships
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:44.06 (WR)
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:40.17 (WR)
Gold	800 m freestyle	7:39.16 (WR)
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:14.10
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:04.66 (WR)
Gold	4×100 m medley	3:35.35

The 2001 Australian Championships were held in Hobart in March. Ian Thorpe added the 800 metre freestyle to his events. This was because FINA had added the event for the 2001 World Aquatics Championships. Ian started by winning his 400 metre title again. His time was just 0.17 seconds off his world record.

The next night in the 800 metre event, he pulled away from Hackett in the last 100 metres. He broke Kieren Perkins' 1994 world record by over four seconds. He won his third title by cutting 0.66 seconds from van den Hoogenband's 200 metre world record. He set a new mark of 1 minute 44.69 seconds. This made him the third male swimmer, after John Konrads and Tim Shaw, to hold world records in three distances at the same time. His win in the 100 metre freestyle, with a new personal best of 49.05 seconds, made him the first since Konrads in 1959 to hold all Australian freestyle titles from 100 metres to 800 metres. This showed he could swim even faster at the upcoming World Championships in Fukuoka.

Ian arrived in Fukuoka as the main marketing star for the event. On the first night, the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay was held after the 400 metre freestyle. Ian seemed to be saving energy in the 400 metre race. He was two seconds outside his world record at the 200 metre mark. But he was 0.93 seconds behind at the final turn. Then, a strong 50 metre burst in 24.36 seconds saw him cut another 0.42 seconds from his world record.

In the relay, Ian dived in just ahead of American Jason Lezak. Ian fell behind early in his leg but then kicked away in the final stages. He secured the gold with his fastest-ever relay split of 47.87 seconds. In the 800 metre final, he stayed close to Hackett for the first 750 metres. Then he pulled away to win by a body length, lowering his world record by over two seconds.

The 200 metre freestyle rematch with van den Hoogenband was Ian's chance to fix his strategy from the Olympics. This time, he let the Dutchman lead for the first 100 metres. Ian caught up at the 150 metre mark and then pulled away, finishing two body lengths clear. He lowered his world record to 1 minute 44.06 seconds.

Ian's winning streak was broken in the 100 metre freestyle. His personal best of 48.81 seconds placed him fourth. But he returned to form in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay. Anchoring the team of Klim, Hackett, and Kirby, the Australians lowered their world record by more than two seconds.

Ian was now Australia's top 100 metre freestyle swimmer. He was trusted to anchor the 4 × 100 metre medley relay team on July 28. After Matt Welsh, Regan Harrison, and Geoff Huegill finished their legs, Ian was half a body length behind the new 100 metre world champion, Anthony Ervin of the United States. An American victory seemed certain. But Ian managed to speed up and take the lead from Ervin in the last 5 metres. This made Ian the only swimmer to win six gold medals at a World Championships. He was also the first since Shaw in 1974 to win the 200–400–800 treble. His performances helped Australia win more gold medals than the United States, 13–9. This was also the first time since the 1956 Summer Olympics that Australia had topped the medal count at a global meet.

Commonwealth and Pan Pacific Games (2002)

Ian Thorpe started competing in 2002 at the Australian Championships in Brisbane in March. These championships were used to pick the team for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. After his six gold medals in Fukuoka, people expected more world records from him. They also wondered if he could match Mark Spitz's seven gold medals.

His winning time in the 400 metre was the second fastest ever. But because people expected so much, his failure to break a world record was a big topic. He won the 100 metre and 200 metre events, but his times were not his best. This was the first time he hadn't broken a world record at a major meet since 1999. He also tried the 100 metre backstroke and came in second. This earned him a spot in a seventh event at the Commonwealth Games.

2002 Commonwealth Games
Gold	100 m freestyle	48.73
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:44.71
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:40.08 (WR)
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:16.42
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:11.69
Gold	4×100 m medley	3:36.05
Silver	100 m backstroke	55.38

By this time, Ian's relationship with his coach, Frost, was becoming difficult. Ian always said his swimming was about enjoying himself and getting faster, not just winning. But Frost had a more aggressive mindset and often made bold public statements. Ian didn't listen to Frost's advice and gained 5 kg of muscle, weighing 105 kg. This made him the heaviest elite swimmer ever. He thought the extra strength would make him faster, even if he lost some flexibility.

On the first night in Manchester, Ian broke his 400 metre record again by 0.09 seconds, swimming in 3 minutes 40.08 seconds. This is still the fastest 400 metre swim not done in an LZR Racer suit. He then anchored the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team to another gold. Before the 200 metre final, Ian was seen arguing with Frost. Ian won, but he was unusually angry because he didn't swim his best time. He said he "wasn't with it" and had "one of the worst warm-ups ever."

Ian did manage to swim his personal best in the 100 metre freestyle, 48.73 seconds, on his way to his fourth gold. He also anchored the 4 × 200 metre freestyle and 4 × 100 metre medley relays to easy victories. He won a silver medal in his first international 100 metre backstroke race, behind world champion Matt Welsh. He had to tell the media not to compare him to Spitz. He focused on his own performance, saying, "I think it's a limiting attitude to be competing against other people when you can be challenging yourself." Despite Ian saying he couldn't match Spitz, Frost predicted Ian could win nine golds at one Olympics. Ian's six gold medals equaled the record set by Susie O'Neill. He was given the honor of carrying the flag at the closing ceremony.

2002 Pan Pacific Championships
Gold	100 m freestyle	48.84
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:44.75
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:45.28
Gold	4×100 m freestyle	3:15.41
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:09.00
Silver	4×100 m medley	3:34.84

The Pan Pacific Championships happened in Yokohama less than a month later. Media talk about Ian and Frost overshadowed the races. Ian started by beating Hackett in the 400 metre freestyle. His time was five seconds slower than his world record. Afterwards, he said that both he and Hackett had saved energy for the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay later that night. Australia then won the relay, with Ian again passing Jason Lezak in the last 50 metres. He then won the 200 metre freestyle. He anchored the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay to victory, bringing his total to four gold medals. After qualifying second in the 100 metre freestyle, Ian came from fourth place at the 50 metre mark to win his fifth gold in 48.84 seconds. Ian's winning streak ended in the 4 × 100 metre medley relay final. Despite his very fast relay split of 47.20 seconds, Australia was defeated.

Working with Tracey Menzies (2003–2006)

After the 2002 Pan Pacific Championships, Ian Thorpe announced he was leaving Frost to train with one of his assistants, Tracey Menzies. She had no previous international experience. Ian admitted there was tension with Frost, but said the split was friendly. He said he felt less motivated, and that he "decided I either had to make the change or it was to walk away from the sport." Other coaches worried that Ian would make the decisions, not Menzies. Despite a difficult year, Swimming World again named him its World Swimmer of the Year.

With the new coach, Ian said he would focus more on improving his sprinting. So, he dropped his favorite event, the 800 metre freestyle, even though he was the world champion and record holder. During this time, his times in the 400 metre and 200 metre freestyle got slower. Both he and Menzies were criticized. The criticism grew during their partnership, especially before the 2004 Olympics. After winning the 200 and 400 events in Athens, Ian said his results proved his decision was right, even though he had swum faster as a younger swimmer under Frost.

World Championships (2003)

2003 World Championships
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:45.14
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:42.58
Gold	4×200 m freestyle	7:08.58
Silver	200 m medley	1:59.66
Bronze	100 m freestyle	48.77

The first big test for Ian's partnership with Menzies was at the Australian Championships in Sydney in March. Ian didn't break any of his world records. His 400 metre and 200 metre freestyle times were more than two and one seconds slower than his best. Even though he beat Hackett in both races, he later said he was "pretty disappointed" with how he swam. When he tied with Ashley Callus in the 100 metre freestyle, he was criticized by The Sydney Morning Herald. Ian found some success by setting a new Commonwealth record of 2 minutes 00.11 seconds in his first long course 200 metre individual medley. This was the fifth fastest time in the past year.

Ian faced more criticism when he pulled out of the inaugural Duel in the Pool due to a medical issue. This was despite him traveling overseas for commercial and charity work.

Ian arrived at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona. This was his first major international competition since Menzies became his coach. He was under a lot of media scrutiny because he hadn't improved at the Australian Championships. On the first night, Ian beat Hackett in the 400 metre freestyle. His time was 2.5 seconds slower than his world record. But he became the first swimmer to win three world titles in the same event.

After his slower 400 metre race, he was again under pressure in the 200 metre freestyle. Van den Hoogenband led at the 100 metre mark, ahead of world record pace. Ian managed to respond and keep his world title. His sprint training also helped him win his first medal in the 100 metre freestyle at a global competition, finishing third in 48.77 seconds. However, in all three freestyle events, he had swum slower than his times under Frost.

He finished his individual events well with his experiment in the 200 metre individual medley. He set a new personal best of 1 minute 59.66 seconds to win a silver medal. Ian again anchored the 4 × 200 metre freestyle team to keep the world title, along with Hackett, Nicholas Sprenger, and Craig Stevens. The Americans finished less than two seconds behind them. Michael Klim's injuries weakened the relay teams. Ian anchored the 4 × 100 metre freestyle team to fourth place. At the end of a tough year, Swimming World ranked him fourth in the world. He was again named Australian Swimmer of the Year, sharing the award with Hackett.

Athens 2004 Olympic Games

2004 Summer Olympics
Gold	200 m freestyle	1:44.71 (OR)
Gold	400 m freestyle	3:43.10
Silver	4×200 m freestyle	7:07.46
Bronze	100 m freestyle	48.56

After his achievements at the 2003 World Championships, Speedo offered Michael Phelps US$1 million if he could match Spitz's seven gold medals. Ian Thorpe was sure this was impossible. He removed his seventh event, the 200 metre individual medley, from his Olympic plan.

In March 2004, at the Australian Championships in Sydney, Ian lost his balance on the starting blocks in the heats of the 400 metre freestyle. He fell into the water, which meant he was disqualified. This ended his chance to defend his Olympic 400 metre title. This caused a big discussion about whether Ian should be given an exception to Australia's rule of only selecting the first and second place getters. The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, called the situation a "tragedy."

Despite the intense media attention, Ian managed to win the 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle events. This secured his spot for Athens. Craig Stevens, who had taken the second qualifying spot in the 400 metre event, faced huge public pressure to give up his spot to Ian. He later did so in a television interview. This led to discussions about whether Stevens' decision was influenced by payment, and some criticism against Ian.

The pressure before the Olympics grew even more because of the media attention on Phelps. Phelps had decided that the 200 metre freestyle would be one of the events in his goal to win eight gold medals. Many media outlets called the race between Ian, van den Hoogenband, Phelps, and Hackett The Race of the Century. Ian tried to avoid media attention, which led to some tense moments with reporters. Ian's increased focus on the 100 metre event, along with the media pressure, made people wonder if he was vulnerable to Hackett in the 400 metre event.

Ian started slowly in the 400 metre final. He was one second outside world record pace at the 100 metre mark. In a race with many lead changes, Ian got a body-length lead by 350 metres. Hackett closed in, but Ian held on by just 0.26 seconds. His time was three seconds slower than his own world record.

With Klim recently returning from a two-year injury and Callus being ill, Ian could only anchor Australia to sixth place in the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay. The 200 metre race began with van den Hoogenband attacking immediately. He was more than a second under the world record split at the 100 metre mark, with Ian half a body length behind. Ian slowly closed the gap before passing van den Hoogenband in the last 50 metres. He won The Race of the Century by half a body length, setting a new Olympic record of 1 minute 44.71 seconds. Having achieved what he missed four years earlier, Ian reacted with strong emotion, tearing off his cap, punching the air, and cheering.

The next day, Australia's six-year winning streak in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay ended. Hackett, Klim, and Sprenger put Ian into the final leg 1.48 seconds behind Klete Keller. Ian slowly reduced the gap but couldn't pass Keller in the last lap. The United States touched the wall 0.13 seconds earlier.

Ian found himself in another close result when he barely qualified last for the 100 metre freestyle by 0.01 seconds. He made the most of it in the final, coming from sixth place at the 50 metre mark to win a bronze medal in a personal best of 48.56 seconds. This made him the only person to win medals in the 100–200–400 combination in Olympic history. After the Athens Olympics, Ian took a break from competitive swimming and skipped the 2005 World Aquatics Championships.

Attempted Return and Retirement (2006)

Ian Thorpe returned to competition at the New South Wales Championships in December 2005. He raced in the 200 metre event and said he planned to retire after the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Ian announced that he was dropping his main event, the 400 metre, to focus on the 100 metre freestyle. He was not swayed by national coach Alan Thompson, who urged him to keep swimming the 400 metre.

In February, Ian qualified for the 2006 Commonwealth Games by winning the 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle. His times were 49.24 seconds and 1 minute 46.42 seconds. He was disappointed with his performances. He thought he might have misjudged his new training schedule and expected to improve more.

Soon after, Ian announced he was pulling out of the Commonwealth Games because he had bronchitis, which stopped him from training. Ian's illness was later diagnosed as a type of glandular fever. After another delay caused by a broken hand, he moved to the United States in July to work with Dave Salo. More problems followed when Ian changed coaches again, saying there was too much media attention. Ian's time in the US was constantly surrounded by rumors that he was struggling. This led to talk that his international career was ending.

When he returned to Australia, Ian pulled out of the selection trials for the 2007 World Aquatics Championships. He then announced his retirement on November 21, 2006. Ian said he had been thinking about retiring for some time. He was afraid of the future because swimming had been like a "safety blanket" for him. Ian stated that he retired even though he was getting physically fitter. He noted, "As I got fit, physically fit, my mind also got fit." He said a clear mind helped him make his decision. He was close to tears when thanking the Australian public, but he said his retirement was a "joyous" celebration.

Comeback Attempt (2011–2012)

In February 2011, Ian Thorpe announced he would come out of retirement. He wanted to try and qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London. Ian's main focus was the 100 metre and 200 metre freestyle at the 2012 trials. He believed he could help the Australian team most in the relays. He decided not to swim the 400 metre, saying he wouldn't have enough time to build up his endurance for that event.

Ian swam the 100 metre butterfly and 100 metre medley in Singapore (November 4–5) and Beijing (November 8–9). He also competed in the 100 metre freestyle in the Tokyo (November 12–13) round of the 2011 FINA Swimming World Cup.

Olympic Trials and Beyond (2012)

Ian Thorpe's attempt to return to the 200 metre freestyle ended quickly on Day Two of Australia's Olympic Trials in Adelaide, on March 16, 2012. He was no longer allowed to wear the full-body racing suit that he used to set his world records. These suits were banned by FINA rule changes. He competed wearing only "jammer" racing shorts (hip to thigh).

He swam well in the morning heats, finishing in 1 minute 49.18 seconds, which placed him equal fifth fastest. However, in the semi-finals that evening, he tired in the last 100 metres. He finished in 12th place with a time of 1 minute 49.91 seconds. Speaking to reporters right after, Ian said, "The last 100 was a struggle, I'm not sure why. This was slower than what I swam this morning, probably the inexperience of racing in the last 18 months held me up. The fairytale has turned into a nightmare."

In the 100 metre freestyle on day 3 (March 17), Ian won his heat but failed to swim under 50 seconds. He did not advance to the semi-finals with the top 16 sprinters. So, his goal to qualify for the London Olympics officially ended.

It was later announced that Ian was aiming to qualify for the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona and then the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. However, he had to give up these plans due to a shoulder injury.

Athletic Strengths

Ian Thorpe's success is due to his hard work, strong mental focus, powerful kick, ability to speed up, and a body shape perfect for swimming. Former Australian head coach Don Talbot called him "the greatest swimmer the world has seen." Although Swimming World described Ian's technique as "extraordinary" and "superior," Talbot disagreed. He believed Ian relied too much on his kick and not enough on his arms. He also noted that Ian struggled with managing his energy and recovering between races during a competition.

Ian was known for his special six-beat kick, which he used to pull away from his rivals at the end of races. This powerful kick was helped by his unusually large size 17 feet.

After Ian retired, Bob Bowman, the head coach of the US men's swimming team and mentor to Michael Phelps, called Ian "the greatest middle-distance swimmer of all time and... the greatest relay swimmer I have seen." Bowman also said that Ian helped make swimming more popular. Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates stated that "In 50 years from now Australians will still marvel at the feats of Ian Thorpe." Dawn Fraser, one of only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event three times, said Ian was the "greatest [freestyle] swimmer in the world."

Honors and Awards

Besides his swimming achievements, Ian Thorpe has received many honors and awards:

• 2000: Young Australian of the Year
• 2000: The Australian Sports Medal for being a "Commonwealth Games Pan Pacific World Record Holder."
• 2001: Awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to sport as a gold medalist at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
• 2001: The Centenary Medal for "service to Australian society through the sport of swimming."
• 2007: The Ian Thorpe Aquatic and Fitness Centre in Ultimo, Sydney, was named in his honor.
• 2012: Awarded Human Rights Medal for his charity work with Indigenous children.
• 2013: Received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Western Sydney for his support for health and education services for Indigenous youth.
• 2014: Received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Macquarie University for his amazing contributions to sport, charity, and Indigenous rights.
• 2019: Became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his "significant service to youth and Indigenous education through charitable initiatives, and to swimming."
• 2022: Inducted into the Swimming Australia Hall of Fame as one of the first members.

Life After Swimming

Ian Thorpe presented a two-part TV show called Bullied on ABC Television. It used hidden cameras to show what it's like to be bullied. It aired on March 14, 2017. In 2021, Ian competed in Celebrity MasterChef Australia (series 2) and was the fourth person to be eliminated. During the show, the judges mentioned that Ian had written two cookbooks, "Cook For Your Life" (published in 2011) and "Eat Well Now" (released in 2016).

Sponsorships and Interests

Ian Thorpe is known for his interest in fashion. He has been an ambassador for Armani and has his own line of jewelry and underwear. During his swimming career, Ian was one of Australia's most famous and popular sports figures. Even though most international swimmers don't earn much money, surveys always showed Ian was the most wanted Australian athlete for sponsorship deals. He was even more sought after than footballers who play weekly in much larger stadiums. Besides his swimsuit sponsor Adidas, Ian was sponsored by big Australian companies like Qantas, Telstra, and the Seven Network.

Ian's interests in fashion and culture led him to visit New York City often. He calls it his second home. He often went there for events with Armani, especially because New York is a global fashion capital. He was at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. He had stopped there during his jog but returned to his hotel because he forgot his camera. During this trip, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which was unusual because competitive swimming isn't very popular in America. Ian later became a spokesperson for New York City's unsuccessful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. He even promised to continue his career until the games if New York won.

Ian's interests also led him to television. In 2002, he played the main role in a reality TV show called Undercover Angels, which was like the Charlie's Angels series. In the show, Ian directed three young women who did good deeds for people in need. Even though it had over a million viewers per episode, critics didn't like it much. Ian also appeared as an extra in the American sitcom Friends.

Ian Thorpe is very popular in Asia, especially Japan. In 2000, TV Asahi thought he would be the most successful swimmer at the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka. So, they chose him as the main marketing face for the event. Before the championships, Ian visited Japan to promote Asahi in TV shows. When he returned for the competition, young crowds of hundreds of people mobbed him at the airport. Many even camped outside the Australian team's hotel. Older Japanese people also praised him as a role model for youth because of his humility and hard work. It was estimated that over 80% of the Japanese public watched his races on television.

In 2002, after the September 11 attacks caused a drop in tourism, Ian agreed to be an ambassador for the Australian Tourism Commission in Japan. This big campaign included a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The marketing effort led to more Japanese tourists visiting Australia, and Ian was given credit for this. In 2005, Yakult released a 'Thorpedo' energy drink in Japan, which had a picture of Ian on the bottle. This was part of a deal where Ian was given a 5% share in the So Natural food group. This share was worth A$1.1 million at the time, in exchange for using his name and image on their products. The 15-year deal covers East and Southeast Asia, and Ian's share could increase to 50% depending on how successful it is.

Charity Work

More recently, Ian Thorpe has also become a philanthropist, which means he helps others. He started a charity called Ian Thorpe's Fountain for Youth in 2000. This organization raises money for research into childhood illnesses. It also supports a school in Beijing for orphaned children with disabilities. In addition, it works with The Fred Hollows Foundation to improve health and living conditions in Australian Aboriginal communities. The organization was closed in 2014. Ian said this was because he wanted to "work directly with our Aboriginal partners and not compete for the meagre funding available from public and corporate donations."

Images for kids

• 

  Olympic rings

• Ian Thorpe: The Swimmer, 2012 documentary
• Ian Thorpe Aquatic and Fitness Centre
• LGBT athletes in the Olympics
• List of Australian Olympic medalists in swimming
• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 200 metres freestyle
• World record progression 400 metres freestyle
• World record progression 800 metres freestyle
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
• World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay