“……You can swim lap after lap staring at a black line and all of a sudden you look up and see what’s around you. That’s what it feels like to me…”
-Ian Thorpe, The Australian Swimmer,
in a news conference announcing his retirement.
The famous man in his famous Black bodysuit won’t be seen cutting through the Olympic waters again.
One of the greatest Swimmers of all time, Ian Thorpe of Australia announced his retirement today signing the end of a record-breaking career at the age of just 24.
195 cm tall Thorpe who has an extra-ordinary flipper-size 17 feet, is one of the gifted Athletes. He could puff away other swimmers with his famed ‘Dolphin-kick’.
This Australian Olympic Superstar came to be known as a “Record-machine”.
One of the greatest Swimmers of all time, Ian Thorpe of Australia announced his retirement today signing the end of a record-breaking career at the age of just 24.
195 cm tall Thorpe who has an extra-ordinary flipper-size 17 feet, is one of the gifted Athletes. He could puff away other swimmers with his famed ‘Dolphin-kick’.
This Australian Olympic Superstar came to be known as a “Record-machine”.
He became The Youngest Men's world champion in swimming history at the age of 15, by winning the 400 freestyle final at the 1998 world championship, and since then, has been breaking a lot of records and making new ones. He celebrated The Sydney Olympics, 2000with three Golds and two Silvers.
Thorpe has not competed in any major international competition since the Athens Olympics 2004. Amidst the suspicions about his motivation ahead of coming Beijing Olympics 2008, the injury, illness, Thorpe said that he has realised –there was more to life than swimming.
Several brows rose to his decision to retire at so early of an age. Thorpe, however, said breaking records "wasn't as inspiring as it should have been."
Although he reportedly gets around US $2.6m as his sponsorship earnings, Thorpe said that Money was not his motivation. “I’m not driven by Finance, it’s not my thing. I’m lucky that I’m pretty financially secure. I’m not completely secure- I have to work or I’m going to run out. “
“As I got fit physically my mind also got fit, I started looking at myself not only as a swimmer but as a person.”
So he wants to whirl around in the new avenues of life. Best of Luck in your new journey, we’ll always miss you, Ian!
Here is Ian Thorpe in numbers
Thorpe has won 5 Olympic Golds. He also has won 10 Commonwealth Golds .
Since 1998 he dominated the 400 meter freestyle, winning the event at every Olympic, World; Commonwealth and Pan Pacific championships until he took break after Athens Olympics.
Thorpe stockpiled 11 World titles during his career - the most by any swimmer.
At the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Thorpe grabbed record six Titles.
Between 1999- 2002, Thorpe broke 13 World Records.
Ian, who also once has did a “catwalk” for Armani, is one of the graceful athletes of the era. He was a true champion of the game and a pin-up idol too…
